There are Strangers in the Hall
by thegoddesskym
Summary: Nico doens't focus on a destination when they shadow-travel from Portugal. They do not end up on a cruise ship. Teddy gets dragged into a world he didn't know before. He chooses to fight for it. Hogwarts gets unwanted visitors. Harry tries to hunt them down.
1. Strangers Visiting

Hello :)

I haven't written fic in ages and I should totally work on some of my other stories (there are new chapters written for most of them, but I haven't published yet because I don't want another break so you will have to wait till they are finished ). This was written last November and published on ao3 but I wanted to upload it here as well. 😊

About the setting of this story: It's set right after Portugal in the Blood of Olympus, so in the summer of 2011. That's Teddy's second year of Hogwarts. I'm pretty sure at that time there's already summerbreak but bear with me on this.

The chapters will be updated daily.

Enjoy!

* * *

**REYNA**

Reyna Ramírez-Arellano decided she didn't much care for Portugal.

Sure, it was a nice country, the weather was good and the town they had found themselves in provided them with the possibility of resting for once. But the company ruined it a bit. Nico spend most of his time passed out or on a trip with a ghost, Coach Hedge was complaining and challenging the pigeons to a fight and the locals gave them weird looks.

Reyna suspected that was the fault of the Athena Parthenos, a giant golden statue they were dragging around. She was laying on top of a temple at the moment, not the most convenient place but not the strangest either. Just a couple days ago she nearly fell into a volcano in Italy.

To top all of that off, they were being attacked by werewolves. Exactly how Reyna wanted to spent her downtime. Not that she got much of that seeing as they were in the middle of a war with the earth herself and on a mission that could decide the future of demigodkind.

Currently she was fastening herself to the Athena Parthenos while fending off the wolves nearest her with a silver dagger. Hedge was shouting on top of the statue, already secured. If he could still shout, he was fine.

Reyna chanced a glance to her other companion. Nico was currently facing off against Lycaon, the king of the werewolves but he looked fine. Or as fine as the son of Hades ever looked.  
Suddenly, Lycaon sprang forward with his jaw aiming for Nico's neck. In the next moment they were dragged into darkness. Shadowtravel.

The wind whipping around them and the undefinable noises in the background were starting to become familiar to Reyna. It still wasn't pleasant and probably would never be but she wasn't as startled anymore when it happened.

Seconds passed and the wind got stronger, the noises louder and Reyna lost all sense of up and down. This was not familiar. Was something going wrong? Had Nico lost control over his powers? Had he passed out again, but this time before reaching their goal? Were they doomed to stay in this shadow realm forever? Reyna's heart started to quicken. She didn't want to be lost in this darkness.

A startled yell came from somewhere far away and near at the same time. Was that Hedge? So he had noticed it, too?

"Hedge!", Reyna yelled. It was hard to make a sound in this storm. "Nico!"

Could they hear her? She barely heard herself.

"Where are we going? What's happening?!" That was definitely Hedge, closer now than before.

Reyna tried to turn around and reached out in the darkness, mindful not to let go of the rope binding her to the Athena Parthenos and therefore Nico. Something warm brushed her hand and then crashed into her. Her surprised yell mixed with Nico's pained grunt. Quickly she clenched a fist into his shirt, scared to let go.

"Where are we going?", Reyna repeated Hedge's question, screaming to be heard over the wind. Was it getting even stronger?

"Don't – I don't know", Nico's answer was barely a whisper. It send a cold shiver down Reyna's spine. Not just the words but the fact that Nico sounded so weak. They were never going to leave this place were they?

"Focus!", she screamed. "Focus on a place!" Hopefully that would work.

The storm picked up even more, whipping them around and making it impossible to hear anything except the roaring of the wind. Then suddenly everything quieted. They were ripped out of the shadows and the light that greeted them nearly blinded Reyna. She could vaguely make out stone walls and a large group of people in dark clothing before there was an explosion of colorful lights in front of her eyes and then they were back in the shadows.

They were spinning and tumbling over each other even faster. There was a crash and then the wall painfully in Reyna's back, knocking the air out of her lungs and then her head smashed against the floor and she was out cold.

* * *

**TEDDY**

Edward 'Teddy' Lupin was looking forward to the end of his second school year. The entire day he had spent packing his belongings and saying goodbye to some of his friends that were in other houses and he would therefore not see again before departure. Now he was trailing after the rest of Hufflepuff House to the Great Hall for the end of year feast. That was something he was looking forward to more than anything. For one, he hadn't eaten anything since breakfast and was therefore starving. Plus, the end of year feast of Hogwarts was legendary and last time had been spectacular.

Caroline Tracer, one of his good friends, was talking excitedly about her plans for the holidays when they entered the Hall. The sight still took Teddy's breath away, even after two years. The sun was setting outside and it reflected in the enchanted ceiling, tinting the entire room in a soft red glow. The candles floating above the tables illuminated the banners in Ravenclaw's blue and bronze colours. Beneath that the house tables were decorated in their colours and held gleaming gold plates and goblets.

Teddy sat down at the front of the table, next to Caroline and across from Sammy Denvers from the year above. Caroline was still chatting away and Teddy quickly tried to catch up to what he had missed.

"- and then we will visit my grandparents in Canada in August. What about you?", she finished and turned towards Teddy, a pleasant smile on her face.

Teddy shrugged lightly. "We don't really have that many plans but I will probably visit with the Weasleys for a couple days. Victoire will be coming to Hogwarts next year, did you know?"

On the other side of Caroline sounded a laugh and a grinning Thomas Sloper leaned forwards to face Teddy. "No, we didn't know that you just tell us every day", he said and laughed again, Caroline joining in. "We know more about your girlfriend than we want."

Teddy blushed slightly and tried to glare at his best friends.

"She's not my girlfriend", he said.

"Sure. Whatever you say", Caroline grinned and then nodded over to the Ravenclaw table. "They look awfully pleased with themselves for winning the House Cup."

Teddy glanced over at the table next to them. He had to agree, they were enjoying the decorations way too much. "Doesn't matter. We won the Quidditch Cup and everybody knows that's the more important victory."

Caroline and Thomas laughed and even Sammy nodded in approval. "It's just the Ravenclaws that care about house points, being swots and all", he told them and then went back to a conversation with the students next to them. Thomas laughed again and even Teddy grinned.

Suddenly there was a commotion at the Gryffindor table and Teddy turned in his seat to see what the matter was. Some of the first and second year Gryffindors were staring at a spot above them, muttering between themselves. Others were jumping up and down and pointed while yelling about Dark Magic.

Slightly worried Teddy followed their pointing with his eyes. Up on the wall above the Gryffindor table was a dark spot growing in size. It was swirling and wavering as if it was made out of shadows and pulling the light towards it. By now other students had noticed as well and a nervous murmur went across the entire Hall. The Slytherins were loudly whispering about it, speculating what it could be. Most of them were convinced it was a prank by some of the Gryffindors but others were talking about it being an attack on the school. With the history Hogwarts had with danger, Teddy wouldn't be the slightest bit surprised if it wasn't just a prank. He had heard a lot of stories of dangerous and crazy things happening at Hogwarts and his godfather, Harry Potter, had often been in the midst of things. That didn't mean he wasn't worried though.

"What do you think that is?", Caroline whispered, all traces of laughter gone from her voice. Instead she sounded frightened and nervous.

Teddy didn't have time to answer. Headmistress McGonagall was calling the students to order and was walking towards the dark spot, by now double the size as before. She was holding her wand in one hand and conversing quickly with the tiny Professor Flitwick.

"Gryffindors, step away from that wall please", she called. And the students in red and gold quickly shuffled out of the way.

"Is this Dark Magic?", a fourth year asked loudly.

"We do not know what it is, but the wards around Hogwarts are strong enough to keep all dark magic out of this castle. This is probably harmless", Professor Flitwick explained. Most of the students calmed down at that.

Teddy glanced back at the spot and gasped. It was forming a silhouette! Whatever it was, it was very big, though.

Suddenly something shot out of the spot and students screamed and dove for cover as a giant statue burst through the wall. It was followed by three people and a lot of rope. Teddy took a step back and into the table in shock. He expected the statue to crash into the Gryffindor table but instead in hung in the air like in paralysis before a blue fizzle went over it and snapping it back into the shadows, taking the three people with it. As sudden as it had appeared as sudden did it disappear.  
It was as had the spot never existed.

McGonagall stood in front on the wall in shock, wand raised in defence.

"What was that?"

"How did that happen?"

"Where did it go?"

"Did you see? There were some people with it!"

Chaos started around the hall. It seemed as if the entire student body had decided to yell at the same time.

"Silence!", the voice of the headmistress carried through the hall, enforced by a charm. Immediately everything quieted. "Good. As you can see, the wards kept the intruders out. There is no reason to fear –"

She was abruptly cut off by the same statue smashing in through the wall again. The statue slammed into the ground in front of the table, the three passengers smacking against it. Teddy jumped back in shock having nearly been flatted by the smallest of them. He stumbled over the rope that came with the statue and landed painfully on his ass.

The entire hall was dead silent.

Suddenly the figure in front of him jumped to his feet. No, not feet, hooves! The entire lower half of the man was covered in shaggy fur. Teddy had never seen anything like it.

He glanced at the other two intruders. One, a girl in her mid to late teens, was crumbled against the wall, the other, a small boy maybe a year older than Teddy, was lying in front of the statue. Both weren't moving. The fur-man made a sound like a distressed goat and scrambled over to the girl.

"Reyna! Are you still alive?", he yelled.

The girl – Reyna – didn't move. Instead the boy groggily sat up, holding one hand to his head.

"Coach? What's happened?", he asked into the quiet of the Hall.

Teddy glanced at McGonagall, who was standing in shock next to the statue, her wand pointed at these intruders. No one was saying anything. Teddy guessed they were all too curious as to what was happening to interrupt.

"You tell me. Where did you bring us?", the short man said angrily, still focused on the unconscious girl. He made that weird goat noise again, as if he himself was a goat.

"I – No idea.", the boy said quietly. He hissed as if he was in pain and moved his hand to his other arm instead followed by a sharp intake of breath. Teddy leaned forward slightly. Was the boy hurt? Should they help?

Goat-Man turned towards him now. "You alright there, Cupcake?"

For a second Teddy wondered why he would call that boy 'Cupcake' of all things. He looked the farthest from a cupcake Teddy had ever seen, what with the dark clothes, dark hair and pale complexion. But then, Teddy had heard weirder things.

McGonagall chose that moment to intervene.

"Who are you and how did you get into this school?", she demanded to know.

The boy froze and the goat-man turned towards her in surprise.

"Who are you?", he asked instead of an answer. He picked up some sort of wooden pole. It looked like a Beater's Bat just longer and was brandished like a weapon.

"I'm Minerva McGonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts. Now, your name?"

"Why should I tell you? Where are we?"

McGonagall looked angry now. "I do not know who you are, where you came from or how you got here. Until you tell me this I will be forced to take you into custody for I do not know if you pose a threat to my students", she hissed, pointing her wand at his face.

Goat-Man seemed completely unimpressed. "With that stick?"

A gasp went through the Hall, even Teddy was surprised. Didn't that man know what a wand was? Did that mean they were muggles? But then how did they travel through the wall?

A loud groan destroyed the tense silence and every eye in the Hall went to the girl now sitting up. She blinked at them confused then looked at her companions before looking at them again. Then the grogginess vanished and she jumped to her feet a sort of spear appearing in her hand.

She slowly made her way towards the statue, were her companions were. Goat-Man was now swinging the bat around threateningly, openly glaring at the headmistress and everyone who dared move.  
"We can't take them all, there is too many.", the girl whispered. "Nico, can you stand?"

The boy, who was called Nico, pulled out a black sword and used it as a crutch to stand up, Reyna shooting him a worried look when he stumbled a bit.

"We need to leave, now!", Reyna hissed.

The Goat-Man scoffed. "I'm not running. If they want to fight I will give them a fight!"

"Look at them, they are too many. We are only three people. It's best we retreat!" She turned towards Nico. "Get us out of here!"

The boy blinked up at Reyna as if he didn't fully see her, then he took a wobbly step backwards to the statue.

"Don't move! We have already informed the Aurors.", McGonagall spoke up again.

"What's an Auror?", Reyna muttered to herself. Meanwhile the goat-man scoffed again. "What? Scared to fight me yourselves?"

More of the professors stepped forward, their wands raised.

"What are you going to do with those sticks, poke me?" The goat-man was swinging his bat again and laughed slightly. He obviously didn't feel threatened at all.

"Uh, coach. I think they are wizards", Nico spoke up from behind them. He was now leaning against the statue, the sword in one hand, the other hanging limply at his side. Teddy leaned forward even more. Was blood running down his arm? Teddy was so focused on that he barely registered the boy's words. Wait, he knew who they were. So where they wizards or not?

The reactions of the intruders answered that question. The Goat-Man laughed while Reyna gave Nico a searching look before nodding. Goat-Man – or was it Coach? – seemed to notice that and looked at her in disbelief. "That's ridiculous. Wizards are fairy tales."

"No, I mean that. Met a couple before", Nico said then hesitated. "At my father's place."

"Alright then, wizards. Why not?", Reyna muttered and turned back to the population of Hogwarts. "We are sorry to have intruded like this that was not our intention. We merely came off our way and would resume our journey now."

"I'm sorry but I can't let you do that. You will come with us and answer our questions", McGonagall protested.

"I'm sorry but we can't let you do that", Reyna echoed, her voice sharp. "We have better things to do."

"Yeah, like kicking your butt!", Coach agreed.

Reyna gave him an annoyed look before stepping backwards and tacking up a piece of rope and handing it to him. "We will be leaving now!"

The headmistress stepped forward. "I can't let you do that"

But before she could fire a spell the trio and their statue disappeared in the shadows, leaving behind a deathly quiet Great Hall. Teddy noticed too late that he was still holding onto the rope he had fallen over.


	2. Strangers Travelling

**TEDDY**

Being dragged into a strange and scary darkness was not on Teddy's To-Do-List for his last day of school. Wind was ripping about him and noises sounded in the distance. It sounded like wails. Teddy shuddered and wrapped his arms around the piece of rope that had landed him in this mess. He wasn't sure what would happen to him if he were to let go and he didn't want to find out.

The trip didn't take long. The bright sun and a pleasant warmth greeted him. The smell of salt water and the loud chatter of multiple people was the next thing he noticed. Teddy blinked to get his eyes used to the sudden brightness.

He sat up from where he had landed on his knees and looked around. They were at some kind of public place. There was a huge pool in the middle of it, with sunchairs and a bar surrounding it. It was filled with a lot people sitting or swimming around, laughing and talking loudly to each other. No-one seemed to give them a second look even if they just emerged from nothing. Were these wizards? Or more of the strange people that had disrupted their dinner at Hogwarts?

There was an angry sort of noise behind him and Teddy turned around in surprise, only to come face-to-face with a spear that girl from earlier was holding.

What are you doing here? Why did you follow us?", she hissed.

Teddy scrambled backwards a bit, or as good as he could with the ropes wrapped around him. He seemed to have tangled himself in them during that trip.

"Where did you take me?", he asked instead.

"Take you? We didn't take you, you came along!"

"No! I swear I didn't mean to!", Teddy yelled. He put his hands up before his face, scared Reyna would stab him if she was dissatisfied with his answer. Instead the spear was lowered and Reyna looked at him with a contemplating look.

"How did you do that with the hair?", she asked.

Hair? Oh, that. Teddy reached up to his head and pulled a string of hair over his eyes. It was bright red. He had gone to the feast with his favourite blue colour.

"I'm a metamorphmagus", he said.

"What's that?"

"I can change my hair colour at will. I mean no harm, I swear!"

Reyna sighed and brushed a hand down her face. She looked tired. Her dark hair was in a messy braid and there was a bit of dirt on her tanned skin. She seemed as if she needed a break.

"Can you get me back to Hogwarts?", Teddy asked quietly. Reyna shook her head slowly and looked at something behind her.

"Sorry, but we don't even know where that was. And even if, we can't make that trip right now", she sounded apologetic.

A knot formed in Teddy's throat and he gulped. He couldn't get back home? But what about his friends or his grandmother or his uncle Harry? They would worry if Teddy didn't return from Hogwarts. But maybe, if he knew where he was he could send a message and they could come and get him.

"Can I send a letter? Do you have an owl?", he asked Reyna.

She turned back towards him with a confused look. "An owl? What do you need that for?"

"To send a letter of course. To let my family know where I am so they can come and get me."

"A letter delivered by owl? You wizards are strange."

And there it was again. 'You wizards'. She definitely wasn't one, Teddy was sure of that now.

"Who are you?", he asked and quickly slapped a hand over his mouth. He hadn't meant to ask that, it was rude.

Reyna sighed again. "I'm Reyna, these are Nico and Gleeson Hedge", she said and waved behind her. Then she relaxed her face a bit. "Don't worry, we won't harm you. Maybe you can ask one of the mortals to lent you a phone to call your parents."

A slight pang went through his heart. Teddy's parents had died 13 years ago during the Battle of Hogwarts. And he didn't know how to use a phone. That was muggle technology he had only seen before but never used. Wizards like him normally communicated via owl post or floo powder. Reyna of course didn't know that. What number would he even call? No, post would be the best way. He had learnt how to use the muggle system once when he was on vacation with his grandmother Andromeda Tonks.

"I would rather send a letter", he whispered.

"Whatever you want. But it will take a while to deliver, we are in the middle of the ocean", Reyna said.

Teddy tilted his head in confusion and looked around. The middle of the ocean? But how? Where they on a boat, but if, that would be a really big boat to fit so many people and a pool. Reyna seemed to notice his confusion. "This is a cruise ship."

"What?"

"You don't know – Whatever, it's a big ship where mortals go on vacation. You wizards don't have that?"

Teddy shook his head. Why would you go on vacation on a boat?

"Anyway, I will help you send a letter, but that will have to wait a couple hours. Is that alright?", she asked.

Teddy nodded. He could wait. As long as he could let his family know he was safe a couple hours didn't make a difference.

* * *

He found himself on a sunchair later on. The sun was setting by now, letting Teddy know he was in a different time zone. Hedge had fetched a piece of paper and a pen for him but Teddy struggled to find the right words to write. What would he say to Harry? They apparently were on a ship called 'The Sea's Treasure' and en route to the Caribbean. They wouldn't arrive there for another four days though.

Reyna had suggested they find him a cabin to stay in and then his Uncle Harry could pick him up once the ship stopped in Jamaica once he send his letter. Teddy didn't like that plan though. Apparating across the Atlantic wasn't possible and international portkeys were expensive. Not that Teddy didn't think Harry wouldn't be willing to pay for that but Teddy wasn't willing to make him pay. It was his own fault after all. And besides, Teddy didn't even know if there was a wizarding community in Jamaica. No, Teddy wanted Nico to bring him back to Hogwarts. Or even London. But that wasn't possible.

Apparently the three of them were on a mission to save the world and didn't have a lot of time. Teddy wasn't sure how much he believed of that but he was willing to go with it. Also, Nico was passed out on the chair next to him and wasn't going anywhere. Reyna had stitched up his arm earlier but the wounds still looked rugged and an angry red. She had said they got attacked by werewolves of all things.

Teddy always felt unsure when he heard of werewolf attacks. His father, Remus Lupin, had been a werewolf and according to his family he had been a gentle and brave soul. He would have never hurt someone on purpose. On the other hand there were those like Greyback, one of Voldemort's most awful followers, or Lycaon that apparently liked to hunt and inflict pain. Nico could be glad it was just a scratch.

Teddy tried to focus back on his letter. So far he had written 'Dear Grandma, Dear Uncle Harry'. It wasn't much. He looked up again when he heard a clatter of hooves coming his way. Hedge stopped in front of him, his bat over his shoulder and a glower on his face.

"So wizard-kid, have you decided what to do?", he asked.

He said wizard as if he still didn't believe they were real. As if that man could talk. He was a satyr, so he was supposed to be a fairy tale too. And if Teddy had overheard his and Reyna's earlier conversation correctly, they were at war against a goddess. That sounded pretty unbelievable too to Teddy. They were also on their way to New York and Teddy knew there was a big wizarding community there.

"Can't you take me with you? Just to New York. I will be fine from there. I could make my way to MACUSA and take a portkey back to London", he asked.

Hedge laughed harshly. "No way kid. We are on a time sensitive and very dangerous mission. You said you can't do magic outside of school and so can't defend yourself. You are going to Jamaica!"

Teddy pouted and let his hair turn a depressing shade of grey. This trick always worked on Harry. Even Hedge's face seemed to soften at that. "We can't afford to take you with us, sorry. You don't want to come either."

Teddy thought about that. Their journey did seem a bit dangerous from what he heard. Teddy might not be a Gryffindor himself but his father had been so there was a sense of adventure in him. And this would be a great adventure. His grandma had always coddled him and never let him go into any danger. He could understand where she was coming from but that didn't mean he didn't want to experience an adventure for himself. He was 13 years old, he could go on a trip to New York. Harry had already battled Voldemort and a basilisk at this age.

Teddy also wasn't completely defenceless. He had learnt quite a few offensive and defensive spells over the years, most from Harry or Ron. And after the Second Wizarding War the rules about underage magic use had been lifted slightly. In dangerous situations they were allowed to do magic outside of school. Plus, he wasn't in England anymore so the Ministry of Magic didn't have an legal pull on him. He wanted to help Reyna, Nico and Hedge for taking care of him on the cruise ship. He was still a Hufflepuff after all. And suddenly he knew the answer, to both Hedge and his problem with the letter.

* * *

**HARRY**

When Harry Potter had received the floo call from Neville he had immediately gathered some of the best aurors on duty and apparated to Hogsmeade. Neville Longbottom was a professor at Hogwarts and had just called them because three people had travelled through the wards and into the Great Hall. They feared they had used some unknown dark magic. Of course Harry went to help himself, not the least because his godson Teddy Lupin was attending Hogwarts at the moment.

The aurors arrived in front of the Hogwarts Gates and made their way up the hill towards the school. Harry ordered his men to be vigilant and secure their surroundings. It could be that there were more intruders. They reached the entrance quickly and slipped in.

The doors to the Great Hall were opened and Harry could see the entire student body facing towards the front of the Hall. As he slipped into the Hall, Harry made out the sound of voices. One was McGonagall the other a younger female voice. Harry quickly surveyed the scene. There was a huge statue lying on the floor between the house and the teacher's tables. Before that stood three figures armed with some weapons. Harry could make out a javelin and a black sword as well as a baseball bat of all things.

Between the student and the intruders stood the professors, McGonagall in the front. And behind her, at the very top of the Hufflepuff table Harry spied familiar blue hair. Teddy. Harry paled slightly in worry. Teddy was too near the action. He raised his wand and the other aurors followed suit.

Suddenly McGonagall said "I can't let you do that!" and then all hell broke loose.

The trio of intruders disappeared in the shadows while several professors and aurors fired stunners at them. Harry on the other hand could just stand and stare at the spot Teddy had disappeared after them.

* * *

It had been nearly two days since Teddy had disappeared. After the students were dismissed and shipped off back to London at the same evening, the aurors had searched every speck of Hogwarts, Hogsmeade and even parts of the Forbidden Forest. There had been no sign of either Teddy Lupin or the intruders. Harry had returned back to the Auror Office late at night and stayed there until the early morning, trying to track the missing people. They had crafted Wanted-Posters of the intruders and even asked around Diagon Alley if anybody had seen something. But even 48 hours later no-one had. It was as if they had disappeared from the face of the earth. Robards had suggested that they had fled the country and so the International Wizarding Committee had been contacted. By now most major wizarding communities around the world knew the faces of the Hogwards Intruders and their hostage.

By now Harry was back at Grimmauld Place. Ginny and Hermione had dragged him from the office saying he couldn't do anything worthwhile without resting first. Andromeda was also there, sobbing over the loss of her only remaining family. Hermione and the children were trying to comfort her but without any luck.

Harry longed to be back at the Office, or better yet, out there and searching for his godson, but he knew the women were right and he needed to rest.

It was at this moment that a slight knock sounded on one of the windows. An owl was sitting there looking disgruntled and exhausted. Harry walked over to it and let it in. The owl dropped its letter in Harry's hand and then curled up next to a plate of cookies to snack and rest.

"What is it?", Hermione asked, coming up behind Harry.

Harry shrugged and opened the letter, quickly reading through it, paling at every next sentence.

"Harry?", that was Ginny. "Is everything alright? You look … is it Teddy?"

Harry could only nod, trying to comprehend what he had just learned.

"They were sighted", he said, unsure of how much he could tell them. It was still an ongoing investigation and neither of the other adults in the room were aurors, not to mention the kids being here. But they still deserved to know how Teddy was doing, especially Andromeda. "They were seen in Puerto Rico. That's all I can say. I have to go to the Office."

Harry rushed out of the room before Hermione could ask more. He was unwilling to disclose more of what he learned. He had to get to the Office and then probably take a portkey to Puerto Rico. Because now it wasn't just the case of a forceful break-in and a hostage. No, now there were a bunch of dead girls.


	3. Strangers Attacking

**TEDDY**

Teddy decided that maybe going with Reyna, Nico and Hedge wasn't his best idea. They had landed in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in some sort of restaurant.

He had finished his letter and put it in an envelope Nico had gotten from the gift shop of the cruise ship. Teddy was pretty sure it was stolen but it was just a piece of paper really. They had it stamped and given to the postal office on the ship to be send with the post of the vacationing muggles once they reached land. That would be in three days. Then the letter would go to the airport and be flown to London, that would take another two days. Or at least that is what Reyna had said. Teddy did feel bad that his family would have to wait so long for a word from him, but there was no other way.  
Teddy had sat with Hedge behind the bar and watched him pour smoothies when it happened. A sting to his neck and a strange dizziness and Teddy had known no more.

When he had come too Reyna had been gone and after calming down Hedge Nico and Teddy had sat and brainstormed about what to do before going shopping for some new clothes. Teddy had also pressed Nico for some answers as to what was actually happening.

The answer, demigods and a war against the literal earth, hadn't helped calm his nerves. Nor had the strange girl with the spiky black hair and electrifying blue eyes called Thalia. Nico didn't seem to like her very much and Hedge had yelled at her for kidnapping Reyna. It didn't help that she didn't seem very fond of Teddy and regarded him more as a nuisance than the help he could provide.  
It had all gone to shit when another girl had stormed in and yelled something about an 'Orion'. Then they were running down the streets of San Juan, into a house and up a pair of stairs were they met even more girls.

"I really do hope you can defend yourself", Nico had told him.

Teddy hadn't been sure if that was supposed to be encouraging or threatening. He had pulled out his wand and held it in a defensive position. Most of the girls had eyed him with disdain or confusion but one had twirled her own wand and had nodded at him. So she was a witch.

Thalia had yelled a battle cry and everything had turned to chaos. Teddy had tried to stay out of the way of the fight, firing a couple Stupefys and Leg-Binding-Jinxes at the man they were fighting. For a couple seconds Teddy had thought it was a bit unfair, all of them against only one, but then the man started fighting back and all qualms were forgotten.  
"Run, you silly wizard!", Hedge had yelled and grabbed Teddy be the scruff of his bright yellow shirt.

Teddy had stumbled after him, noticing that they had been reunited with Reyna. And that was how they had left the place as quickly as they had come.

* * *

Buford was a drab place, but it was a lot better than Puerto Rico in Teddy's opinion. Mostly because no-one was being killed.

Reyna had told them what had happened with the Amazons – Teddy had wondered if they were from South America but no, apparently they lived in Seattle – and Teddy had been shocked to hear that the Orion-fellow had killed most of them. Also the Hunters of Artemis Thalia was with. Teddy had heard the screams of the girls as they fell in their battle, had seen the top floor of the room they had fought in explode in green flames but he hadn't realised that some of the girls were still in there. Teddy wondered if the young witch had survived.

"Sure you still want to come with us?", Reyna asked, her voice tired.

"Of course!", Teddy said, slightly affronted they would think he would ditch them now. "You helped me on the cruise ship so I'm going to help you. Besides, you seem to need any help you can get and I want to help."

"Why would you want that?", Nico asked in disbelief.

"Because it is the right thing to do. And because my parents died fighting for a peaceful future and if that Earth-Woman wants to destroy that they will have died in vain."

Reyna gave him a slight nod and a small smile, as if she could understand his reasoning and was proud of them. A happy little bubble burst in Teddy's chest. To have the daughter of Bellona be proud of him made him so very happy. Reyna was a stoic woman and brave and strong and someone Teddy could look up to. He wanted her to like him. The happiness made him even forget about the awfulness that happened in San Juan.

Hedge was happily writing letters to his wife to send through the air. Teddy had asked if it was possible to send a letter that way for him but apparently Hedge wasn't sure.

They were camping just outside of Buford in the southern United States. They had been stuck here for two days at least. It made Reyna anxious and therefore worried Teddy, too. He had heard of the deadline in four days. They weren't telling him what was going to happen then, but Teddy also wasn't sure he wanted to know.

Instead he was studying his Defence Against the Dark Arts Book he had had on him when he was whisked away from Hogwarts. There were some Jinxes in it he thought could be helpful if they encountered another enemy.

Teddy looked up from his book, glancing across at were Nico and Reyna were engrossed in a conversation and then to Hedge, who was folding his latest letter.

"Can we try sending a letter to my godfather?", he asked quietly.

Hedge looked up.

"You know I'm not sure your magic doesn't interfere with mine. It could end up everywhere but at the wanted destination.", Hedge explained again.

"I know, but it's worth a try, right? He's an auror and I'm sure he can help us somehow. Maybe send some help for the fight?" Hedge looked unsure but shook his head. "And if I send a letter to MACUSA? They could help us deliver the statue or something.", Teddy pressed on.

He felt slightly useless just sitting around. The others were the ones who did something and Teddy was pretty sure it wouldn't make a difference if he was here or not. He wanted to make a difference.

"That could be an idea.", Hedge said. "Let's ask Reyna, its her quest after all."

He jumped to his hooves and trotted over to were she was sitting. Teddy grinned and quickly packed his book into his bag and ran after him. Reyna was sobbing and Nico was trying to comfort her when Teddy reached them.

"Is everything all right?", he asked worried. Reyna nodded and brushed the tears from her eyes, Nico didn't seem to know what to say. "Um… I have an idea that could help us", Teddy said quietly, hoping it would cheer her up some.

Instead of Reyna someone else spoke: "Oh, you will need all the help you can get. Patricide is a crime you will be executed for. Thank you for your confession, praetor, you made my job much easier."

Teddy whirled around his wand out and pointed at the newcomer, his heart sinking into is pants.

"Who are you", he demanded to know.

The others got to their feet as well and pulled out their weapons.

"Bryce Lawrence. Octavian's newest attack dog", Reyna said.

Teddy didn't know who Octavian was but it sounded like he was the enemy. Was he the one they were trying to stop in New York? While Teddy contemplated who Octavian was and what Bryce wanted from them, he had started taunting them. Talking about his godly parent and how much he would enjoy executing Reyna. She argued back, saying he didn't have the right to arrest her but Bryce just laughed, taking a small step forward.

Teddy fired an _Incendio_ towards the grass in front of his feet, setting it on fire.

"Stay back or I will set you on fire", he threatened, hoping his voice didn't sound as weak as he felt.

Bryce actually faltered at the fire, before stomping on it and stepping it out.

"Well, that's interesting.", he muttered before looking up at them again with a smirk. "Telling a mortal about the gods is also against the Roman law, and that wizard over there is mortal. I will bring you in for trial on accounts of having broken multiple Roman laws."

Teddy was furious, both with Bryce and with himself, he shouldn't have done that. Hedge put a hand on his shoulder and swung his bat. "I agree with the kid, one more misstep and I will bash your head in."

Teddy shot him a grateful look. Instead of a verbal answer, a bunch of skeletons rose from the ground. Teddy had heard that was one of the things Nico could do, other than travelling through shadows, and so glanced to him. But Nico looked as surprised as the rest of them. So he didn't summon them?

Bryce was talking but Teddy was more focused on the skeletons slowly advancing towards them. They were the most awful beings Teddy had seen in his short life and he wasn't sure he would ever forget what they looked like. Teddy took a step back but the fear made it hard to think and then the skeletons were on him and held him captive.

Bryce was now taunting Nico, who was trying to get control of the situation. Reyna and Hedge were captured as well , both struggling. Teddy was frozen in his cage, the cold hard bones of the skeletons digging into him and the smell of decay and earth filled his nose. He wanted to go home. Back to their cottage with his grandma and his soft bed and the nice garden full of flowers. He didn't want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere in America held captive by dead humans while him and his friends were taunted and threatened with death and torture. What was he thinking going on this quest. It wasn't some nice adventure, no it was a journey of danger and death and now it would end right here in stupid Buford.

Teddy was barely listening anymore to what was being said only focused on his rising panic and the coldness of the skeletons. He heard Nico and Reyna talk, Bryce's mocking laughter and then a pained hiss. It was the last thing he noticed before Nico exploded in anger.

It got cold, colder than before and suddenly Teddy got assaulted by a wave of pain and anger, vague feelings and memories that weren't his own flooded his head. Teddy barely noticed he had started sobbing and screaming. The skeletons disintegrated into dust and Teddy fell to his knees.

Trying to figure out what was happening he lifted his head and watched in absolute shock as Nico was snarling something at Bryce who was whimpering and slowly sinking into the earth. The ground was blackened and their air freezing cold and there was still so much pain in Teddy's heart. Pain, he realised, that wasn't his.

Teddy couldn't quite understand what was happening, but he did understand that Bryce Lawrence was dying. Horrified he watched as the Roman demigod slowly turned into a dark smoke. Then it was over and Nico collapsed.

Reyna let out a horrified gasp. Teddy didn't know what to think except that they were safe.

* * *

**HARRY**

Together with two of his colleagues Harry took an international Portkey to San Juan, paid for by the Auror's Office. With the new horrifying discovery made by their colleagues from across the Atlantic the case of the Hogwarts Intruders was now of the biggest priority to the wizarding community.

They arrived in a small office of the small MACUSA outpost and were greeted by a stocky woman in her late forties.

"You must be Auror Potter, I'm Auror Gills. It's good that you came so quickly", she said and held out her hand for an introduction.

Harry shook her hand. "Good to meet you. You have the necessary information?", he asked, quitting straight to the chase.

Gills laughed slightly and nodded. "They told you what we found?", she asked.

At Harry's nod she walked over to the desk and pulled out a stack of parchment. Harry and his colleagues took a seat in front of it.

"After your message to the IWC we started keeping a look out about the town. Same night as the break-in at your school they turned up here. We noticed it the next morning. Two of them and the hostage were walking down the streets with another girl. Seemed awfully in a hurry. They entered a building that was shook by what we believe is a magical explosion. So we entered after they had ran off taking the hostage with them, we sadly couldn't catch them." So far that all sounded reasonable to Harry and he was glad to hear that Teddy was still alive even if he was in the clutches of a band of crazed teenagers. He motioned for Gills to continue.

"Alright, so here is were it gets bad. A bunch of young girls and woman also quickly left the building after the explosion and were seen regrouping with the girl from earlier", Gills said, pushing a magical photograph towards Harry. On it was a young girl of about fifteen with spiky hair and a deadly gleam in her eyes, she was holding something the picture didn't quite show.

"Why is that so … unfocused?", he asked, tapping on it.

Gills shrugged. "We don't know but there's a lot of that on the other pictures too. We think it's a charm on their weapons. We know they didn't use wands so we figure it's a disguise."

"Alright, and after they regrouped?"

"We tried following them but they practically disappeared. We think they may be making their way into the States."

Harry nodded. That also made a lot of sense. "And … the dead?", he asked, not sure if he wanted to know.

Gills face sagged. "We found the corpses of seven young girls and eight women in at the exploded house and in their apparent hideout. All muggles, the youngest was eight, the oldest 27", she sighed and rubbed a hand down her face.

Harry stared at her, horrified. Why would anybody do this?

"We think it may have been for a dark ritual of some sorts. We found some weird things in that hideout. You said they used dark magic to break the wards of the school?"

Harry nodded numbly.

Zara Thorne, his colleague, started asking more questions which Gills quietly answered. Harry stared at the picture of the spiky-haired girl and the ones beneath that, showing the other kidnappers and Teddy. But they weren't just kidnappers were they? No they were dark wizards, possibly cultists, and murderers. And his little Teddy was caught in the middle of it.

Harry rubbed his face tiredly. And here he thought his problems had ceased with Voldemort's defeat.


	4. Strangers Healing

**TEDDY**

After the debacle with Bryce Lawrence Nico was asleep for a while.

Reyna, Hedge and Teddy were sitting next to him in the sun no-one really saying anything. Teddy honestly wasn't sure what to think. Nico had saved their lives, but at the cost of someonelse's and Teddy didn't know how to feel about that. On one hand he was glad to still be alive and not tortured to death, on the other… every dead was one too many.

Teddy wondered what his family was doing. Were they searching for him? Probably. Had his letter arrived? He didn't really know how much time had passed so he couldn't say. At least it was in Jamaica by now. Or so Teddy hoped.

Hedge ripped Teddy out of his thoughts by handing him a bunch of bad smelling bandages. He nodded to Nico's right arm and then put some on his left. Understanding what was wanted of him, Teddy dutifully laid out the bandages on Nico's pale arms. They were even paler than before, nearly translucent.

"What's that exactly?", he asked.

"Satyr magic", Hedge answered.

"He looks awfully pale, doesn't he", Teddy continued.

"We think its his powers, they weaken him a lot", Reyna explained quietly. She was dunking bandage in some strange goop.

"If I had the correct ingredients I could brew a pepper-up-potion. They help against fatigue and the flu.", Teddy said.

Hedge looked at him. "What kind of stuff do you need for that?", he asked sceptically.

"To start with, a cauldron", Teddy said.

And with that the topic of brewing potions was forgotten.

"Did you think about what I said? About contacting MACUSA?", Teddy asked after a while of silence.

"It sounds like a good idea, honestly. You said they could transport people over farther distances?", Reyna asked.

Teddy nodded. "Yeah, its called apparating. If you put a feather-light-charm on the statue it should be possible to transport her no problem."

Reyna looked contemplating. "Do you think you can do that charm and will it be enough to put her on a truck or something like that? I would rather not involve strangers in this."

Teddy blinked at her in surprise. "I guess. I have never tried it out. But I can do the shrinking charm. I don't know how well that will work on a godly statue but it's worth a try, right?", he said, suddenly giddy.

Reyna's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Yes, that could work. Will she return to her normal size after?", she asked.

"Of course, a simple 'Finite' and the charm is cancelled."

Reyna looked at Hedge, who was looking at them both frowning. Then he grinned. "Well, time to show us some magic, you silly wizard."

* * *

They had to wait until Nico was waking up. Hedge was constantly applying more bandages and muttering under his breath. Teddy had cast several healing charms he knew on Nico. None of them were particularly powerful but they seemed to help get a bit of colour back into his cheeks.

Until then Reyna and Teddy were talking about the wizarding and the demigod worlds. Teddy had to admit, Camp Jupiter sounded pretty cool. But from when Hedge would skim in Camp Half-Blood was also nice. They had gone down into Buford again, looking for a car dealership but finding none. Not that Teddy really knew what one would look like. They did have a busstop with buses going to a nearby bigger city.

"We could hitchhike and then shadow-travel in between. With a smaller statue that should be easier on him", Hedge had commented when Reyna and Teddy had returned emptyhanded. "We will think of something. We are already in the US and we still have time. It will be fine."

"I hope you didn't just jinx us", Reyna muttered.

At that moment Nico startled awake.

"Good morning!", Teddy said cheerfully.

Nico looked at him in slight irritation before turning to Reyna in question. Reyna sighed in relief.

Hedge said "Good" and put one of the jucky bandages right into Nico's face. The confused "What … ?" was slightly muffled.

Nico struggled to sit up, but Reyna pushed him back down. Teddy placed a new bandage on him.

"Are you trying to plant me?", Nico asked, looking from Hedge to Teddy.

"Nah, it's satyr magic", Teddy told him and covered him in more gunk.

"He wanted to make you drink a potion. Be glad we didn't have a cauldron", Hedge said.

"Hey! I'm good at Potions. Its one of my better subjects", Teddy said with rightful indignation.

"That's a subject?"

* * *

After telling Nico about their future plans and encouraging him that they didn't hate him for what happened with Bryce, they packed their tent and their weapons. They only had two days before the deadline on the first of August. Teddy couldn't believe how fast the time had passed in the last week.

"I pulled some favours and the cavalry will meet us tomorrow. Thanks to Teddy's help you woke up earlier than I expected. We will go north and meet them", Hedge told them. They had spent the last two days patching up Nico and making plans for the trip Camp Half-Blood. "Then we will drop off Teddy here at his magical place in the city on continue on from there."

Teddy wanted to protest that, but they hadn't listened the last five times so he had given up.

"Alright", Nico said.

Reyna motioned for Teddy to get on with his magic. He raised his wand and focussed on the statue of Athena.

"Reducio!", Teddy said loudly, focussing his magic to work as he wanted.

Slowly, inch-by-inch, the Athena Parthenos shrunk. Sweat gathered on Teddy's forehead and his breathing became quicker. This was more exhausting than anything else he tried until now. Finally the statue was the size of Hedge's bat and Teddy stopped the charm. He doubled over heaving air into his lungs.

"That was harder than I thought", he rasped.

Hedge patted him on the back.

"But you did it", Reyna said. She picked up the statue to carry her comfortable in her arms even though Teddy suspected it still wasn't the lightest.

The group turned towards Buford.

"Let's go, the bus leaves in an hour", she said and then strode off and the others followed, Teddy and Hedge supporting Nico.

They didn't get very far.

The loud cracks of apparition sounded and suddenly they were surrounded by wizards and witches in black and purple robes. American Aurors.

Teddy stumbled back a bit. Why were they here? One of the aurors, a tall man, stepped forward.

"You are under arrest for the practicing of dark magic, forceful entry, kidnapping and murder as well as resisting arrest", he said. "You will be brought to the prison of the Magical Congress of the United States of America and be held there until your deportation to the Ministry of Magic of Great Britain."

What in Merlin's name where they on about.

"I think you are mistaking us for someone", Reyna said. "We do not know what the Magical Congress or whatever is and would really like it if you left us alone."

"The Magical Congress is the government of wizarding America and you - "

"What are you on about?", Nico interrupted. "Wizards don't exist. Are you feeling quite well? And where did you come from all of the sudden?"

Some of the aurors shifted and looked at each other in confusion. Teddy was glad he had already pocketed his wand. These MACUSA-wizards didn't seem friendly.

"Excuse us please, but we need to catch a bus, you see we were camping with our Uncle and would like to get home now", Teddy stammered out. He hoped they wouldn't catch his lie. He was also glad he wasn't wearing his school robes anymore but had gone shopping in San Juan.

"But you are criminals and we have an arrest warrant", the lead-auror said. He looked confused.

"Listen here, cupcake, I do not appreciate you bothering us like that and accusing the kids of murder. So take your crazy ass and scurry off", Hedge now said, stepping in front of Reyna.

Some of the wizards nodded and lowered their wands, obviously accepting that they had the wrong people and were trying to arrest 'innocent muggles'.

"No!", the lead-auror sounded near hysterical now. "We detected underage use of magic and you fit the profiles of a group of internationally wanted criminals! You will come with me!"

"If you don't let us leave now I will call the police!", Reyna yelled back. "Now leave us alone!"

Teddy nodded in agreement. One of the witches stepped up to the leader and whispered something.

"Alright then, we will just Obliviate you and then you can be on your way", she said and smiled and them apologetically.

"Obliviate? What's that?", Hedge asked with suspicion in his voice.

"It's nothing to worry about", the woman said sweetly.

Teddy was not convinced. He whispered quietly "Obliviate removes parts of your memories" hoping Reyna and Hedge heard him but not the others. By the way Nico went still next to him, at least he had heard. "Oh hell no! I'm not losing my memories again."

Teddy glanced at him. That boy sometimes worried him a lot.

Reyna narrowed her eyes at the witch. "I don't think so. We will be going and you will let us and we will just pretend this never happened, understood?", she said harshly. The witch flinched back slightly but nodded. "Good" Then Reyna led the way through the middle of the wizards and Teddy made sure to follow quickly.

Once they were out of earshot he let loose a breath he hadn't noticed he was holding in.

"That was strange. Didn't you say they would help us?", Nico asked.

"I thought so. But apparently there was a misunderstanding somewhere", Teddy told him.

He didn't quite understand what just happened. The wizards they were going to ask for help had just ambushed them and were trying to arrest them for murder. What murder? Did they mean Bryce? But how would they know about that? And what about the dark magic and the kidnapping? Were did those ideas come from. Did they believe Teddy was kidnapped from Hogwarts? Sure, he didn't go voluntarily but that didn't mean they forced him or that he couldn't go home whenever he wanted. He really hoped his letter would arrive soon and then Harry could clear up that misunderstanding. They didn't need the wizarding world chasing them too, after all.

One thing was clear, though. Teddy wouldn't be going to MACUSA in New York.

* * *

They had reached Buford in the time that Teddy was thinking and quickly found the busstop. Briefly, Teddy wondered if the bus would be anything like the Knight Bus but then brushed that thought aside. Of course not, these were muggles.

"Mind explaining what happened back there?", Reyna asked, crossing her arms. The statue was sitting next to her.

Teddy shrugged. "No idea. They seem to think we are internationally wanted criminals, but I have no idea why", he said. "Well, it could be that they think you kidnapped me."

Reyna huffed and plopped down in a seat.

"I'm sorry that happened. If they didn't track my magic then we wouldn't be in this situation", Teddy tried to apologize.

"Don't be stupid, cupcake", Hedge said and patted Teddy's shoulder in comfort.

Teddy gave him a weak smile.

"At least we know they are searching for us now. Maybe we should keep out of public places for a while", Nico suggested. "So, this teleporting thing, you can't do that as well, can you?", he asked Teddy.

Teddy shook his head.

"No. Apparating is only taught in sixth year and its illegal till seventeen. I only just finished my second year", Teddy said with a sigh. "So I'm pretty useless."

"You're not useless", Reyna said. She sounded surprised that he would think so. "You helped just now with the statue and Nico's health. And you tried to help us against Orion, that's not useless."

"But there is so much magic can do, but I can't do any of that. There are charms that make you unplottable or something. Heck, there is a curse that just kills you", Teddy sighed again. "I can change the colour of stuff and make things fly. That's useless."

"I don't think flying is ever useless. And there are a lot of things I can't do but others can. You just need to work together", Reyna said.

"There is a curse that kills you. Like, just dead?", Hedge asked.

Teddy nodded, thinking about his parents. "It's one of the unforgivable curses. You just stop living. It's what killed my parents.", he explained softly.

"I met someone who was killed by that once", Nico muttered. They all looked at him weirdly. "What? His death felt weird so I asked him how he died, you know, the dead love talking about their death, and he told me it was some killing curse. And then I asked more and learned some interesting stuff about him."

"Is that how you knew what wizards were?", Reyna asked. "Because you badgered some poor soul about his death?"

Nico shrugged grinning slightly. "He didn't complain."

Teddy laughed slightly. He tried to imagine how that conversation would have gone.

A loud screech was heard, Teddy flinched in surprise.

"It's just the bus", Hedge told him, patted him on the shoulder again and then boarded the train.

"You know, I think what you're doing is pretty brave. Maybe a little bit reckless but putting your safety behind helping others and doing what's right is a brave thing to do", Nico said.

Teddy blushed bright red. No-one had ever called him brave before.

"Well, my father was a Gryffindor. So I guess I do get some things from him", he said, because he didn't know what else to do. "I'm a Hufflepuff though, like my mum."

Teddy smiled slightly before looking at Nico again who was frowning at him.

"What the fuck is a Hufflepuff?"


	5. Strangers Hunting

**HARRY**

"What do you mean you found someone that fit their description exactly and you let them go?!", Harry yelled.

The short woman in front of him flinched back, the tall man next to her looked to floor in shame. Yes, hopefully he felt embarrassed.

"They acted like they didn't know anything about magic at all", he tried to defend himself. "We thought they were no-maj and we had made a mistake."

"A mistake? A MISTAKE? This wasn't a goddamn MISTAKE it was complete and utter stupidity and incompetence!" Harry glared at his snickering co-workers. "What are you laughing at!", he screamed at them. "Do you think this is a laughing matter? Do you think an innocent child being held hostage by a bunch of murderers is funny?!"

"No, Harry, of course not!", Zara said, quickly shaking her head. "But you need to calm down a bit."

Harry huffed. But she was right, he shouldn't yell at his co-workers like that. They were nice enough to help him out after all. Even if they were a bunch of incompetent buffoons. Harry sighed. He should really reign in his inner Snape.

He quickly apologized for yelling and then made his way to the apparition points.

"Harry? Were are you going?", Zara was yelling and running after him.

"To that place they were seen. They couldn't have gotten very far."

"Are you sure?", she asked. "They could have apparated to the other side of the world now that they know we are looking for them."

"Dammit!", Harry had totally forgotten that the Hogwarts Intruders were now aware of their efforts.

"Harry, Harry!", another voice yelled down the hall.

His other co-worker, Pietro Marchenilli, was running down the hall. He was waving a piece of paper in his hand. "This just came through the floo for you from your wife", he said.

"And that is so important that you're interrupting? We still have a chance of catching a trail if we leave now." Harry couldn't believe Pietro actually thought that was important now. Sure, Harry loved Ginny, but he was in the middle of a case and so close to catching his godson's kidnappers.

"It's about Teddy", Pietro said.

Immediately Harry's focus was on Pietro. "What?"

"Apparently he send a letter, it just arrived via muggle mail. Your wife send it over for you", Pietro explained and held out the paper.

Harry glanced down at it before turning to Zara. "You go to Buford and make sure to search for every magical signature there is. No matter whose I want it recorded."

"Of course", she said.

She nodded to two of the American Aurors and they left quickly. Harry snagged the paper from Pietro and made is way over to the desk he had been assigned during his stay in New York. He unfolded the paper and sure enough, it was Teddy's writing.

_Dear Uncle Harry,_

_Sadly I can not tell you this in person. By now you have probably heard about the incident at Hogwarts and how I disappeared. I'm sorry about that it was not my intention. You see, when Nico shadow-travelled him, Reyna and Hedge out of the Great Hall an bunch of ropes were fastened to their statue. I was unfortunately holding on to a piece of rope because I had stumbled over it. Thus I was dragged along. I really do apologize for causing you worry and that this letter reaches you only this late._

_I would like to explain what happened. You see, Nico can shadow-travel, as far as I understand it he uses the shadows to go from one place to another, although not too far. That is not dark magic, though, but a genetic gift and tires him out a lot. Him, Reyna and Hedge have been travelling from Greece and are on their way to New York. They were in Portugal when they were attacked by werewolves. Due to injury and exhaustion Nico lost control over his destination and they ended up at Hogwarts. They did not mean to do that. When I was dragged along we landed on a cruise ship. Did you know that muggles go on vacation on a boat? Why would they do that? Anyway, this ship is headed for Jamaica and that will be when my letter will be sent. We are planning on leaving tonight though so I will hopefully be in New York by the time this letter reaches you. Then I will get a portkey to come back to London._

_Please don't be worried, my companions are nice and took care of me. They also helped me send this letter. Please tell grandma I will see her soon and not to worry._

_Best of wishes_

_Teddy_

Harry didn't know what to think about the letter. Teddy was obviously well enough to write a letter and convinced his 'companions' had good intentions. Harry wasn't convinced as much. It could very well be that this letter was written under duress. And why would Teddy wait so long to send word? Sure, the muggle post wasn't the fastest but why send it by muggle post in the first place? Why not use an owl or floo powder or anything else? Did they not have access to something like that? Were they on the run? Well, they were travelling to New York, that much was clear. Except that could be a trick to confuse Harry, couldn't it? And Teddy wrote that they helped him send the letter. Did that mean they forced him to write this to make them think everything was fine? Surely Teddy would never go on a travel with complete strangers like this. Okay, who was Harry kidding, he had practically raised the boy of course he would. So did that mean everything was good and all just a big misunderstanding?

Harry groaned in annoyance and slammed his head against his desk. This case was going to turn him insane.

* * *

About two hours later Harry was still pouring over the letter, dissecting every little word and trying to find a hidden meaning.

He had come to two conclusions: First, Teddy was held captive and forced to write this letter, or, second, Teddy was fine and Harry was becoming a paranoid mess. He just didn't know what to believe anymore.

Zara stepped up to his desk, holding a map.

"The only signatures we found were those of the aurors and of Teddy", she said.

"No-one else?", Harry asked. How come only Teddy had used magic. Was is in self-defence?

"No. Teddy apparently used a shrinking charm. I think it was used on the statue they had been seen with in Hogwarts. The girl was holding a smaller statue."

Strange. Why would they shrink the statue? To travel more lightly and inconspicuous probably. But why use Teddy for it and not do it themselves. Were they scared to be tracked. Or – and that was a very strange thought – were they no wizards at all? No, of course not, that's absurd. How else would the travel so fast.

Altough, Teddy had said that power was a genetic trait. Could it be that they weren't dealing with wizards, at least not ones they had ever encountered before?

"Could you track them?", he asked. Zara shook her head.

"Could it be they are travelling with muggle means?", Harry asked. More and more the thought that they were going at this wrongly got a place in his head.

Zara looked contemplative. "Could be. But why would they? Wouldn't it be faster to use anything else? Muggles can't travel fast, can they?"

Harry had to think of airplanes and high-speed trains and highways and even rocket ships. Muggles could definitely travel fast and it was always amusing to see wizards completely underestimate them. Harry was pretty sure should it ever come to a war between magical and non-magical people, he wouldn't be on the winning side.

"I think … I think we might not be dealing with wizards", Harry said.

Zara looked at him in shock. "You mean muggles? You think muggles could do something like that? But … muggles aren't … I mean … are they even capable of thinking off throwing us off their trail? And how ever would they do that?"

Yes, amusing indeed.

* * *

**REYNA**

They had reached Atlanta after an hour on an uncomfortable bus.

"Why exactly are we driving south if we have to go north?", Teddy asked.

He was pressed against the window by Hedge and the statue sitting between them.

"Because it was the only way out of Buford", Reyna told him.

Their youngest companion nodded. His hair had a dark green colour, not exactly inconspicuous, but it could be worse. Reyna would have to remind him to use a normal color so as to not attract any stares. But while on the bus she wanted to let him have as much comfort as he could.

When they were pulling into the bus station she tapped her hair slightly to let Teddy know to change it and then slowly shook Nico awake. He grumbled but stood up and left the bus after them.

"Where to now?", Hedge asked. He hoisted the statue higher on his hip. The shrunken Athena Parthenos was going to attract a couple stares but it was better than being stuck with the original size.

"The train station?", Nico suggested.

"Didn't you say we should stay out of public places?", Reyna asked him.

Nico scowled at her. "How else would you get on a train?"

"Hey guys, there is an airport here. We could use one of these flying machines right?", Teddy suddenly spoke up, pointing to a sign to coaches to Atlanta Airport.

"You mean an airplane?", Hedge asked.

Teddy shrugged. "We don't have them. We only fly on brooms but not for longer distances. That's what we use portkeys for", he explained with a smile.

That was something Reyna had noticed before, not that Teddy smiled a lot, but that he didn't know anything about normal things. Did the wizards really live such a sheltered and fenced off life?

"I would rather not fly if it's alright. Besides I doubt we have enough money for a trip to New York", Nico spoke up.

"I think the big guy upstairs is busy with other things at the moment to smite you out of the sky", Hedge said.

"The big guy?", Teddy asked.

"Name's have power kid. The gods don't like it if we lowly mortals go spouting off their names whenever we want. So yeah, the big guy", Hedge explained.

Reyna noticed that Hedge seemed unnaturally patient and kind with the wizard, at least for Hedge's normal behaviour. Not that Reyna complained about that. Someone needed to be nice to this kid and neither Reyna nor Nico were emotionally equipped to do so. Although she tried her best.

"Okay, so no flying. What's next?", Teddy asked.

"Food and then a coach or train out of here", Reyna said.

She looked around until she spotted a small diner. Nico grabbed the flyer of a coaching service and they made their way over to the diner and into a booth. It was slightly tight with five people – yes the Athena Parthenos refused to sit on the floor – but they managed. Teddy had changed his haircolor to match that of Reyna and Nico and now they looked like a normal family on a trip to a diner.

While the others poured over the menu Reyna tried to sort out how much money they had left. They had taken some from unsuspecting tourists aboard the cruise ship, the restaurant in San Juan and even the Buford Zippy Mart. It wasn't as much as she wished but a look at the flyer told her they had enough for something to eat and a coach to Charlotte, North Carolina. They would have to hitchhike their way from there to Virginia where they were to meet Hedge's promised transportation.

"We can make it to Charlotte till afternoon and then hopefully to Virginia till tonight", she told the others.

Teddy didn't have a clue were any of that was so he just nodded. Nico proposed they get a car in Charlotte for the rest of the trip.

"You aren't planning on stealing one, kid?", Hedge asked.

"No! I meant rent one or something", Nico glared at Hedge. Reyna rolled her eyes.

They ordered and while they waited for their burgers Reyna let her gaze sweep over the other customers and the people walking by outside. One of them made her do a double take. It was the woman that had ambushed them earlier. She wasn't wearing robes anymore, but instead a pair of trousers and a weirdly patterned jacket. She was accompanied by a second woman who was wearing a normal grey shirt.

"Don't look know but the MACUSA people are back", she said quietly.

Another sweep of the diner and she confirmed that none of them were inside.

"How did they find us again?", Teddy asked, nervously glancing out of the window but still trying to seem nonchalant.

"My guess is they figured out we took a bus and followed us here. It was the only major route after all", Nico said.

He didn't bother looking out the window, instead he subtly moved the statue under the table, even though she seemed to glare at him. Reyna had nearly forgotten about her. If they had seen her glinting in the window they were busted. She tried to move her back to the window to make it harder to identify them.

When the food came barely any of them were still in the mood but they needed their strength so the gulped down the burgers and soda.

"Why exactly are you so worried about them finding us. You wouldn't have a problem with them", Nico asked Teddy curiously when the younger boy kept glancing at the wizards outside. They had migrated to another spot and where now discussing a map.

"But you do, and the other demigods need you right? So, I help you of course. I don't want you to get thrown in prison when you didn't do anything wrong."

The explanation made sense and Nico nodded. "Shall we go then? The bus is leaving in a couple minutes."

Reyna looked over at the ticket office. It was too close to the wizards still hanging about. "We can't get the tickets with them there."

"I wonder why they haven't left yet, shouldn't be too hard to sweep a bus station", Hedge commented. "Wizards are stupid."

A pouty 'hey' was the only answer to that.

"Maybe they think the bus hasn't arrived yet?", Teddy said. "Maybe they think it takes longer than just an hour."

"Could be. If they know as much as you do about non-wizarding worlds they probably don't even know what we can do.", Reyna commented.

"You know I could try to get the tickets", Teddy proposed after a short silence.

"They know what you look like", Nico said. He grabbed Hedge's second burger and bit into it, ignoring Hedge's protest. That boy was constantly hungry.

"No they don't", Teddy said and smirked.

He closed his eyes and concentrated. His hair grew longer and a dull brown color. That wasn't anything new but then is nose became shorter and his cheekbones higher and his chin wider and smattering of freckles appeared on his cheeks. He still looked like Teddy if you knew him but at the same time completely different. The two demigods blinked at him in shock while Hege barked in laughter.

"Oh man kid, that's great."

"I can't hold it for long, though", Teddy said.

He grabbed the money from Reyna's hand and quickly made his way out of the diner before anybody could protest.

"How did he do that?", Nico asked.

Reyna just shrugged. She knew he was a metamor-something but she thought that only extended to his hair color.

They watched as Teddy made his way into the ticket office the two witches barely glancing his way.

A coach pulled into the station.

"That's ours", Reyna said.

They stood up and paid at the cashier, Nico and Hedge getting another burger for the road and Reyna purchased a couple bottles of water. Then they slowly made their way outside and over to the coach. Careful to seem like a normal family and not a bunch of (wrongfully) wanted criminals. They ducked behind the coach so that they could still see the door of the ticket office but the wizards were out of view.

Reyna leaned against the pole of a streetlight in exhaustion. The last couple days had been way too much stress. She closed her eyes slowly to regain her composure. She didn't much care anymore about Nico or Hedge or Teddy seeing her exhausted but all these mortals around them were still strangers. She didn't show weakness in front of strangers.

When she opened her eyes again she was staring right into the green eyes of a man across the bus station. Reyna frowned. He was staring at them from far away as if he couldn't really believe they were real.

"Is it just me or is that guy staring at us?", Nico asked quietly.

He was sitting next to her on a bench. He wasn't looking in the man's direction but over at the ticket office. Reyna glanced over there too. Teddy was taking awfully long.

"He is", she said.

"Monster?", Nico asked.

"Or wizard, who knows. Maybe just a random mortal."

Then Teddy came hurrying over to them, four tickets clutched in his fingers. His cheekbones and chin were slowly going back to normal now that he didn't have to fool anyone anymore.

"Quick get on the bus", Reyna said.

She chanced another glance at the man with the green eyes. He was now staring at Teddy instead of her and Nico.

"Good idea", muttered Nico and he quickly pushed Hedge towards the bus.

Reyna grabbed the Athena Parthenos and then encouraged Teddy to get in the bus in front of her. She could only relax once the bus pulled out of the station and onto the highway, the man never once following.


	6. Strangers Meeting

**HARRY**

Harry stared after the bus as the people he had been looking for drove off. He had spent so much time pouring over that letter that he started to believe they weren't criminals. That Teddy was actually there out of his own free will.

It had been confirmed when he arrived at the bus station in Atlanta, Georgia, where they assumed the bus out of Buford would turn up. He was standing next to a sign pointing out concerts in the city and waited. Nothing was happening, his co-workers were standing on the other side of the station. One of them doing a rather bad job of blending in with the muggles. He shook his head slightly. Honestly, was it so hard to dress like a normal person?

A bus pulled into the station, blocking Harry's view of his colleagues. Not that he was sad about that. A motion at the door of a small diner at the side of the station pulled his gaze towards it. He nearly choked on the air he had just breathed in. It was all three of the original Hogwarts Intruders. The girl with the spiky hair wasn't with them. Maybe they only met up with her once. But what for?

They made their way quickly over to the bus acting like normal travellers. He watched them as they waited for something. Why weren't they getting on the bus? Then it hit Harry. They were only three of them. The older one, the young boy and the girl.

The girl – Reyna, he remembered from Teddy's letter – looked at him and frowned. She didn't do much though, just turn towards the boy and talk to him. It was as if they weren't concerned at all. Or maybe they just faked it really well.

Then they were joined by a fourth person. Teddy. He looked slightly different than normal, but as he watched, Harry noticed how the facial features seemed to rearrange himself until he looked like the Teddy Harry had missed so much. It was unbelievable that it was only a week since they had last seen each other. It felt like ages ago.

Harry watched as Teddy conversed with his companions (not captors) and laughed at something the man had said. Then the girl ushered them all on the bus.

Harry sighed. This had been his chance to rescue his godson. But that was the thing, wasn't it? Teddy didn't need saving at all.

When the bus drove off Harry didn't move for a good while before making his way over to his colleagues.

"I don't think they will be coming by here", he said. "Let's head back to the office."

* * *

**TEDDY**

Teddy had a bad dream.

He was dreaming about skeletons circling him, the screams of the Huntresses in the distance. Then there was an explosion of green fire and suddenly Harry was standing in front of him, scolding him about worrying his Grandma. Harry turned into the auror-leader who dragged Nico and Reyna and Hedge away while Teddy could just stand there and scream to let them go. Then he was being arrested as well.

They dragged them through long never ending halls, the screams of the dammed raising in the distance. Was this Azkaban Prison? Teddy didn't want to be here.

They were kicked into a cell were already a haggard man was sitting. He had blue hair, was painfully thin and laughing insanely.

"No!", Teddy yelled and kicked against the door. He didn't want to end up like that man.

When the door opened a woman stood there. She was wearing a dress the colour of earth and a mean grin. Her eyes were closed as if she was sleepwalking.

"Oh poor little Edward, running around with murderers and thieves. What would mommy and daddy say?", she mocked.

Teddy stumbled back as if he had been struck across the face. Tears gathered in his eyes.

"Who are you?", he asked.

"You don't need to know that, little Edward", she said. "Just know I'm a warning."

"A warning? About what?", Teddy asked. He took a step back from the woman. She felt dangerous and as if she could kill him with a single thought.

"About the path you are wandering on. If you continue on it, this will be your future", she said with an unpleasant grin.

The woman waved behind him. Fearfully Teddy turned around. The Azkaban cell wasn't filled with just one haggard creature anymore. No there were four of them.

"Continue on your way north and this is what will happen. Your parents would be so disappointed. Died so that their son could live and then that son consorts with murderers. Maybe this is what you deserve after all?"

"No! Go away!", Teddy screamed and jolted awake.

* * *

Hedge was slowly eating his on-the-road-burger and telling Teddy about his wife. They were sitting together again, Teddy against the window. Reyna and Nico were behind them, drawing plans for when they reached Charlotte. They would arrive there in another hour, Teddy had slept most of the trip.

When he had jolted from his nightmare, they had immediately tried to ask him about it. Apparently dreams were important ways to communicate and spy the future. If that was true then Teddy's future was going to end pretty badly.

"I think we have a good plan, is there anything you would like to add?", Reyna asked as she peered over Hedge's seat. She was giving Teddy a significant look.

"Food stops", Hedge said.

"Already included", Nico said.

"Good" Then Hedge turned towards Teddy. "Anything to add?", he asked.

Teddy glared at him and shook his head. He didn't want to talk about his dream. It had been horrible and he could swear he could still feel the cold and suffering of Azkaban. Besides that he wasn't even a demigod so he didn't have prophetic dreams.

"Alright, don't tell us. Just know that if you need to talk, we will be here for you", Reyna sighed and sat back down.

Teddy grumpily stared out the window. While it was interesting to watch the muggles drive about in their cars it got boring after a while. Hedge had ceased his talking and an uncomfortable silence hung between the group.

Teddy unwillingly thought back to his dream, to what the sleeping lady had said, both about him and his friends. _Murderers and Thieves. What would your parents think of that?_ Teddy shook his head to get rid of the woman's voice. Except that she was right wasn't she? The money they were travelling with wasn't their own and Teddy had watched as Nico had killed Bryce and Reyna had killed her own father.

'Stop it, Teddy! The dream is just messing with your head!'

His friends were good people. That was self-defence. They were trying to save the world and didn't even take that much money. No-one got hurt because of that, right?

"Kid, you're shaking", Hedge said, his voice concerned. "You know we all had dreams once that scared the shit out of us. You aren't that special, you silly wizard."

Teddy glanced up at him. Somehow he doubted that.

"He's right. I used to dream about things that scared the shit out of me, but without facing them it won't get better", Reyna piped up from behind them.

Nico leaned himself on Teddy's seat. "I'm gonna tell you the same thing I told Reyna to make her talk: Your voice is your identity, use it!" And then he sat back down.

Teddy looked at him bewildered while Reyna rolled her eyes. "You should never write a self-help-book", Teddy blurted out.

"I'm not planning on it."

Hedge laughed, then poked Teddy with his elbow. "Now, spill!"

Teddy sighed and started slowly talking about what happened. About them being dragged into prison and finding his older self, about trying to get out and the woman at the door. When he described all three of them went oddly silent.

"Do you know her or something?", Teddy asked unsure.

"Or something", Nico muttered darkly. "It's troubling that she is reaching out to non-demigods now."

"She obviously wants you to make us stay away from Camp Half-Blood", Reyna added. "Does that mean she has noticed what we are doing?"

"Who is she?", Teddy asked.

Hedge sighed. "The reason we are doing this in the first place: Gaia, the primordial goddess of the earth. That she is contacting you is troubling."

Teddy looked from Hedge to Reyna to Nico. All three of them looked tired and much older than they were.

"Why is that troubling?", he whispered.

"You could say demigods dream loudly, it's easy to visit them in their dreams or pull them into other's. That she can so easily slip into yours means she is getting stronger. She's waking up and once she is awake, well … that won't be pretty", Nico explained.

A shudder went down Teddy's spin at hearing that. "That's what we are trying to prevent?", he asked.

"Partly. We are mostly trying to prevent a demigod civil war, you can probably guess why Gaia would want that", Reyna said.

"So that you are focused on each other and not on her?"

"Exactly. We are trying to prevent that. Our friends are travelling through Greece –" "On a flying warship", Hedge interjected. "- and are working to prevent her waking up. We are still at war with the Giants, though, her children. We need a unified demigod force or we won't survive this."

"And if the demigods fall there is nothing protecting the mortals.", Nico added.

Teddy had a feeling he had to sit down and think about that for a while. Sadly the reached Charlotte in that exact moment.

* * *

It was late at night when the group finally sat down to rest. They had been travelling for roughly seven hours now, barely stopping to take a breather. They all knew time was running out. They couldn't afford to slow down now. They were headed further north. Taking public transport out of Charlotte, hiking a couple miles until they found a highway rest stop and convinced a young family to take them for a further couple miles. From there they sneaked onto a cargo train and got off at the next stop. Never using one mode of transportation for too long, never staying in one place. They were zig-zagging slightly hoping to shake off those on their trail.

Reyna pulled out and erected the tent, three of them squeezing in, the last on sitting outside and keeping watch. Hedge was first, then would be Reyna and in the morning it was Teddy's turn. They all agreed that Nico needed more rest.

Once the sun had risen completely and they had their breakfast, they were off once again. Teddy couldn't remember when he had ever been this exhausted before.

The hiked about five miles before coming upon a town. There they stopped, had lunch and rested their feet before taking the next bus northbound. They didn't stay in that town for long either, mostly because they had a nasty run-in with some monsters.

They were creatures Teddy had never seen before and he wasn't sure his magic would work against them at all. One was tall and ugly and had only one eye, the other two were young women with fiery hair. Hedge sprang into action upon noticing them, clubbing on of the monster-women over the head and sending her staggering to the side. Reyna was next, charging with her javelin at the other. That left the tall guy for Nico and apparently also Teddy. While Nico engaged him at the front, Teddy made a beeline for his back, rounding once around the three fighting pairs.

Reyna finished off her lady with a forceful thrust into the chest and the monster fell down into golden dust. Then she helped Hedge who seemed a bit distracted. Teddy focused back on the tall guy and shot a Leg-Binding-Jinx at him. It barely faced him and he only stumbled slightly. But it did give Nico time to attack again.

Teddy gritted in frustration. He was still useless. Quickly he thought over all the spells he had learnt or read about. There had to be one… and if he couldn't hex the monster he could still charm the ground.

"_Glacio_!", he yelled, pointing his wand at the ground under the monster's feet. Immediately he lost his balance and slipped forward. "_Petrificus Totalus_!" And the man fell over directly into Nico's sword.

"That was impressive", Reyna commented and clapped him on the shoulder. "You fared a lot better than Hedge over there. He got entranced by the empusa's charm."

Teddy smiled despite himself. So maybe he wasn't totally useless.

"Let's head on", Nico said. He was dusting his shirt off. Not that it helped much, they were all dirty after so long on the road.

Hedge came over to them looking disgruntled and then the four of them continued on.

They hurried out of town, not looking forward to having the aurors on their backs again. They couldn't be stopped now, they had nearly reached their meeting point.

* * *

The cavalry turned out to be pegasi, something Reyna seemed to be enthused over.

"I used to have a Pegasus. His name was Skippy", she told him quietly while they waited for the flying horses to land.

Teddy watched in fascination as the elegant horses landed before them. He had never seen one before. They were quite rare in the Wizarding World, but this were at least nine of them. The one in front was bigger than the rest and golden.

"You summoned enough to carry the statue", Nico said.

Hedge laughed with delight. "Why yes. And you are in for a real treat."

Reyna shook her head in disbelief. "That's Pegasus. The immortal lord of the horses." She seemed absolutely shocked.

"Well, what are we waiting for, get the statue secured and everybody on a horse", Hedge exclaimed and clapped his hands to get them moving.

Teddy trudged over to the statue and picked her up, contemplating how they would transport her. Some of the pegasi were looking at him curiously and Teddy waved slightly. He petted one's muzzle before turning back to his work. Hedge was bundling over them with the rope they had stored in Reyna's tent. Together they worked on securing the statue to the back of one of the pegasi so that she could carry her. Teddy didn't want to imagine how many horses they would need to carry her in her original form.

"Alright everyone, there is no time to idle", Hedge yelled.

He climbed on the back of one of the white pegasi and Reyna and Nico followed suite. Nico took a black Pegasus named Blackjack that he already knew from Camp. Nico had said he belonged to a friend of his, one of the ones fighting in Greece. Teddy's Pegasus was named Guido. He was the one he had petted earlier. Reyna climbed on Pegasus himself. With a shout they took to the air.

Teddy wasn't overly afraid of heights or flying, he did like Quidditch after all, but there was something distinctly different about flying on a broom and flying on the back of a winged horse. He burrowed his hands in Guido's mane and held on for dear life.

They were flying for a long time and after a while Teddy relaxed. He trusted Guido to catch him if he fell off. And as long as he was holding on nothing would happen. He glanced around them. It was late afternoon by now, Hedge had guessed they would arrive in the early evening. Apparently, because they were travelling lightly, they made quicker way than anticipated.

Some of the winged horses flew beside them, covering them in case of an attack. Others were scouting ahead, picking out the fastest route and avoiding strong winds. Beneath them Teddy could make out the shapes of rivers and forests. Once in a while lights were shining when they flew over a city. On the horizon the ground was shimmering in light of the slowly setting sun. He guessed that was the ocean.

Teddy turned back up and glanced at his companions. Hedge was conversing with his steed. Reyna seemed to be enjoying herself up in the air, not like Nico who didn't seem to like the heights very much. Thankfully for him they wouldn't be up here much longer. Between them was the pegasus carrying the glittering Athena Parthenos. She was glowering in the cloudy sky as if it had wronged her, but then again, Teddy thought, she was always glowering.

"Turn back!", Reyna's voice carried over the wind.

Teddy blinked his eyes open and looked around. It had gotten darker. They were still flying, but below them he could see glinting gold.

"What's that?", he asked.

"Onagers. They are going to shoot us out of the sky if we get too close", Reyna called back to him.

Onagers? Teddy had never heard of those before.

Their flock of winged horses turned slightly. Teddy peered down and gasped at what he saw. At the base of the hills an army camp was sprawled out. It was huge. So those must be the Romans, then the Greeks were on the other side of the hills. Judging by what he saw, the Romans had come there prepared to completely wipe out the Greek demigods. Gods was Teddy glad they had finally reached their destination. He didn't want to imagine what would have happened if they had failed to deliver the statue. They turned towards the ocean, trying to circle around the Roman campsite and stay out of range of the siege weapons. Teddy wondered if it was any safer to pass over Camp Half-Blood when they were readying for a battle. They could easily mistake them for Romans trying to attack. But they didn't fly over the camp and instead skirted around the edge of it and towards a beach behind a forest.

They settled down in the sand and Teddy quickly slid of Guido's back. His legs felt like flubberworms and he let himself fall into the soft sand. Now that he wasn't riding anymore he finally noticed how sore his behind was. He had spent way too long on the pegasus' back.

Reyna and Hedge were conversing with Pegasus. Apparently the god of horses was very impressed with the daughter of Bellona and named her Horse Friend. Teddy could swear she had some tears in her eyes. He didn't comment on it, sensing that it must be a special moment for her.

"We should head into camp. Best you deliver the statue before the sun sets completely", Hedge said. "And my wife is waiting."

Pegasus whined as if he agreed and then he took to the air once again. Reyna looked after him until he disappeared in the clouds before nodding. She looked at Teddy. "We best return her to her original size first", she said inclining her head towards the Athena Parthenos.

Teddy did as she said. Pulling out the wand he tried to focus his strength again. Hopefully cancelling the charm wouldn't be so exhausting. "_Finite Incatatem_!"

Nothing happened.

Teddy frowned in confusion. Reyna gave him a worried look. "Why isn't it working?", she asked.

This was bad, this was really bad. They couldn't have come all this way for nothing. They had to deliver the statue. They had to unify the demigods. Angrily Teddy raised his wand again. He wouldn't let himself be the reason the world would go to shit. "_FINITE. INCANTATEM_!", he yelled again.

There was a flash and then the statue grew and grew until the Athena Parthenos was glowering down at them again. Reyna breathed a relived sigh. Teddy nearly jumped in joy. Hedge secured the statue to six of the pegasi. They would fly in and settle her on top of the hill. Before that Reyna had to announce her presence.

* * *

While they were trudging through the woods, she explained silently about the origins of the statue. Apparently the Romans had stolen her from the Greeks and after the fall of the Roman Empire she had disappeared. Their friend Annabeth, a daughter of Athena, had found her in a cave under Rome, Italy, and the demigods had then contacted Reyna. She would return the statue as a peace offering and then hopefully unite the two demigod factions again. They had been at war for centuries and only recently learned of each other's existence again.

Nico was leading them through the forest that bordered Camp Half-Blood. Both him and Reyna had their swords out, always on the lookout for monsters or other demigods. They weren't too sure how their reception would be. Reyna was the leader of the enemy forces and Nico apparently was an outsider and not well liked. Teddy couldn't really understand that.

Hedge had stayed behind under protest. He would send in the pegasi at sundown. He had wanted to go to Camp first to announce their arrival and then see his heavily pregnant wife, but Reyna and Nico had argued he would be needed to converse with the pegasi. Teddy had offered to stay behind instead but all three of them had immediately shot down that idea. They didn't think he had enough experience to defend himself should something happen. So they took him along.

A crack sounded to their left. The trio froze, Teddy barely daring to breath. He wished he knew some disillusionment-charms, or better yet had Uncle Harry's invisibility cloak. After a tense minute they slowly crept on.

"We have to hurry, the sun has nearly set", Reyna whispered.

"Not too far, we should reach Zeus' fist soon. I expect some patrols in that area", Nico said.

"Is that good?", Teddy asked.

"Not sure."

They fell into silence again. Suddenly Nico held up a hand. Teddy pressed himself against a tree and peered around it. They were at the edge of a clearing. In the middle was a pile of rocks on which a demigod was standing. She was wearing bronze armour and a weird looking helmet with a orange plume. In her hand she held a spear. Next to the pile was a young boy, dressed in the same amour and with a bow in his hand.

"Stay here", Nico said so quietly Teddy had to strain to here it.

"Is it just them?", Reyna whispered. She had pressed herself against another tree, peering at the two demigods curiously.

"I only sense two human live forms close by. There are some farther away."

Reyna nodded and then gave him the go-ahead. Nico stepped out behind his tree and raised his hands. The girls on the pile jumped into a defensive position while the boy raised his bow, an arrow appearing.

"Who are you? Are you Roman?", the girl asked.

"No", Nico said. He stepped over a small bush and into the clearing, so that they could see him better. "I'm Greek. I need to talk to Clarisse or Rachel."

The girl quickly made her way down from the pile of rocks. "I know you! You're the son of Hades. Where have you been? We are at war and you just disappeared!", she snarled.

Teddy could see Nico roll his eyes. "I was busy helping you. Now, can I talk to Clarisse?"

The girl shook her head. "I will be escorting you. We can't be too careful with those Romans crawling about.", she said.

She stepped forward, her spear levelled at Nico's chest. The son of Hades just shook his head and waved his hand. Both the girl and her companion fell over, their eyes closed and snoring slightly.

"Nico!", Teddy hissed. Why did the boy always solve his problems this way?

"Relax, they are only sleeping. But I'm no son of Hypnos so they may wake up soon. We need to get to Camp now", Nico said and starting walking again, gracefully stepping over the fallen girl.

Teddy shared a sceptical glance with Reyna before they followed him.

Camp Half-Blood looked lovely, Teddy had to admit that. An assortment of strange but charming little cabins were placed in the middle of it. An amphitheatre and an open dining pavilion with Greek columns were off to the side and big strawberry fields were on the other. Demigods in orange t-shirts and bronze armour were running around, some carrying weapons and others were lugging wood and other building material. They were obviously trying to prepare for the upcoming battle. Teddy hoped it wouldn't come to that. They had reached Camp Half-Blood early enough to prevent the attack the next morning, they just had to convince everybody to stand down.

Watching the teenagers running about Teddy had to wonder if the students at Hogwarts had felt the same way when they prepared for the attack of Voldemort's forces. Had his parents felt as uneasy and skittish as these demigods. Had they felt nervous and scared of the upcoming hours like Teddy did?

They had reached the first of the cabins without being seen.

"The Big House", Nico said and pointed to a big house at the foot of the hill. "That's were the war council meets, we will find them there."

"That's all the way across the camp", Teddy whispered. "We will never make it without being seen!"

"It's a small jump, I could get us –"

"No!", Reyna interrupted. "We will go the long way around the back of the cabins." She looked around slightly. "What's with them, anyways? Don't you have any sense for order?"

"I think its charming", Teddy said. "They are all for one god or goddess, right? They are all different so its only right the cabins are too. It's like our houses back at Hogwarts, I guess."

Reyna opened her mouth, probably to discuss the advantages of sorting the demigods into cohorts instead of cabins or houses but Nico cut through it. "Can you have this discussion later?"

Teddy ducked his head in embarrassment.

They ran off, ducking from one cabin's shadow into the other. They could be lucky the demigods were so busy with their preparations that they didn't notice them. Quickly they made their way across Camp and then dashed the last metres towards the porch of the Big House.

"Hey, there is someone!", a voice behind them yelled.

Teddy barely spared a glance behind him and when he couldn't make out who had yelled he ducked into the building. Inside they quickly found the 'war council', a group of about twelve teenagers of various ages and a centaur. Teddy hadn't seen a centaur before but he had seen pictures in one of his schoolbooks. They all gaped at the three of them. Teddy couldn't really blame them. He would be pretty surprised too if a missing demigod and two strangers were to burst through the door, covered in grime and dirt from various days of travel, blood and dust from run-ins with monsters, psychos and giant hunters. They must look an absolute mess. Reyna raised her chin and stared at them stoically, always the picture of the perfect leader.

"Nico", the centaur said in surprise. "And you have brought friends." He turned towards Teddy and Reyna and studied them carefully. "You must be the praetor Rachel told us about, Reyna", he nodded to Reyna who returned the gesture. Then he levelled Teddy with a hard look. "I haven't seen one of yours in a while. What is a wizard doing in Camp Half-Blood?"

Teddy blinked in surprise that the centaur knew who he was.

"That's a long story, we have something important to do", Nico interrupted.

"I want to hear that story. And what you were doing to look like that", a big girl said. She looked older than Reyna and was one of the oldest in the room. Still, she couldn't be over twenty. Were there truly no adult demigods around?

"And you will, later", Reyna said. She took a step forward and met the demigod's suspicious glances. "I come to bring a peace offering. We brought her from Rome back to you as a gesture of our good will and a hope to bring peace to the demigods.", she spoke, capturing the gaze of everyone in the room.

Teddy found himself staring at her in wonder. He had never heard her speak with so much authority and certainty before. He could understand now better than ever why she had climbed the ranks in her legion so quickly.

"Well, where is it?", an Asian girl asked. She was looking at them as if they were hiding the statue under their shirts.

Reyna smirked and nodded to the window, where the sun was now disappearing behind the horizon. "If you come outside with me you will see." She turned and stepped out of the room.

The Greek demigods were looking at each other in question and then at Nico. Some were discussing if they could trust her, others were proposing an outright attack on the forces behind the hill. Tensions obviously were very high between the demigods.

Nico stepped forward slightly. "She tells you the truth. Annabeth recovered the statue in Rome", he started to explain, only to be interrupted when the campers started asking about Annabeth. Some were asking whether she and the other 'Seven' were alright, others wondered if it was true that she and someone named Percy had fallen into a place called Tartarus. Teddy didn't know what that was but he noticed that Nico started to look uncomfortable.

"Listen to them!", he snapped and took a step forward.

Instantly he had all looks on him. His face turned slightly red at the attention and his hair chanced to a mousy brown. That as well got some curious looks. "They have been shadow-travelling from Greece. I met up with them in Scotland and have been helping since then. If a wizard, a satyr and two demigods can work together to cross the world, then why can't you work with the Romans to save your kind?"

Nico gave him a thankful look while Chiron smiled proudly. The big girl, who Teddy guessed was Clarisse, looked thoughtful. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to see this peace offering. We can debate later if we accept it."

That got encouraging cheers from the other demigods.

"Wait, shadow-travel from Greece with so many people? That doesn't seem healthy", a blonde boy spoke up.

Nico looked irritated. "Let's all just get out of the house, will you", he snapped and then turned and stomped off.

Teddy looked at the blond boy. "It really isn't healthy. He shouldn't be doing any more of that or he will fade away", he said quickly before running after Nico.

Teddy met up with Nico and Reyna at the top of the hill, next to a big pine tree. Some other Greek demigods had gathered around them and were looking worried or threateningly at Reyna. The Roman camp on the other side was also a bustling hive of activity, but some campers had stopped and stared up at them, pointing at their returning leader. Slowly, one-by-one, the war council climbed the hill to stand by them. The blond boy from earlier went up to Nico and started badgering him about a health check-up.

Reyna turned towards her audience and raised her sword in the air. "Our peace offering to the Greek demigods. Behold, the Athena Parthenos!"

Teddy turned to were she pointed and watched in amazement as the glittering statute of the goddess of wisdom was lifted into the air above the woods.


	7. Friends Fighting

**HARRY**

It had been over two days since they had lost the Hogwarts Intruders in Georgia. Harry still hadn't told the other aurors that he had let them go in Atlanta. He just wasn't convinced they had all the clues and his gut told him that they were innocent. Over the years Harry had learned to trust his instincts.

He had just finished a conversation on the floo with Andromeda and was now ready to retire to his hotel room. Harry desperately needed some sleep.

"Auror Potter, sir, there was another detection of Mr. Lupin's magic last evening. Some aurors went out to try and figure out more. He seems to have cancelled the shrinking charm he placed earlier. What should we do?", a voice called from the doorway of the small office he was sitting in.

Harry supressed a tired groan. Couldn't they do anything without consulting him? Not that Harry didn't want to be in the loop how the case was going but it was morning already and Harry hadn't seen a bed in over twenty-four hours. He wanted to sleep.

He turned towards the young man standing in the doorway. He was one of the junior aurors on the MACUSA squad and assigned to his case. It seemed to be his first major case and was therefore annoyingly enthusiastic.

"Where was the spell cast?", Harry asked.

The young man bounded forwards, a piece of parchment clutched in his hand. "New York, sir. But weren't we looking for them in the south? How do you think they got here so fast?", he asked as he placed his parchment on Harry's desk.

It turned out to be a map of New York State, a glowing dot indicating the magic to have happened in Long Island.

Harry frowned. So they had bypassed New York City without detection. But yes, it was interesting. They had aurors stationed at every major train and bus station all the way from Atlanta to New York City. They had always assumed they would come to the city and were therefore patrolling it. Harry never had guessed that Teddy meant the state as their destination. To be fair, Teddy probably hadn't known the difference and assumed the city just as Harry had. He nodded towards the junior auror in thanks and pinned up the parchment on his pin board.

On it were most of the clues they had gathered, including the pictures of their suspects and Teddy and a map which marked all the locations they had been sighted in. The last glowing dot was in southern Virginia, just at the border to North Carolina, from this morning. How had they gotten from there to Long Island in such a short amount of time. Harry had been sure they were travelling by muggle means so as to either avoid detection or because of his suspicions that they couldn't do magic at all. Did they use an airplane? No, Harry doubted that, they had weapons that would never get through security. Not to mention their shrunken statue. But the statue wasn't shrunken anymore, was she? If Teddy had cancelled the spell in Long Island, did that mean that had been their final destination? Didn't they have to travel so quickly anymore and could afford to unshrink it?

Harry looked at the sketch of the big statue they had taken from Professor McGonagall's memories. It was a woman in ancient Greek clothing and armour. In her hand she was holding the figure of another woman. It was obviously a Greek statue and if Teddy had been right then the origins of it was Greece. Was the statue stolen? Was that why they were travelling so quickly? Or was it just the wizards chasing them that made them hurry up?

Every time Harry had hoped to have the case figured out another clue popped up and made him doubt his entire thought process again and again. These Hogwarts Intruders just seemed to continue to surprise them. Harry glanced at the map again, his gaze landing on the glowing dot hovering over Puerto Rico. They still hadn't figured out who had killed these girls. Harry was pretty sure it hadn't been the trio they were chasing but their appearance at the same place and same time was too strange to be a coincidence.

The day after Harry had arrived on the island the corpses of the girls had disappeared and the entire house looked as if nothing had happened in the first place. The spiky haired girl had disappeared as well and hadn't surfaced again. Harry doubted they would ever see her again. By now he mostly wanted to find the trio and Teddy to get his godson back home and clear up what had happened and if it was indeed a giant misunderstanding.

But he would do that after he had a couple hours of sleep. Harry had just put on his cloak when the map of Long Island started blinking crazily. He stared at it dumbfounded. The junior auror came up next to it. "More dots are appearing. I think the hostage is using more magic, Auror Potter", he said, turning towards Harry in excitement.

Harry walked over and studied the map. The dots were appearing about a mile or two west of where the first on was. Something was making Teddy use a lot of magic. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good.

"We need an entire squad, or two at best", Harry said to the junior auror. "We are going in."

**TEDDY**

The appearance of the Athena Parthenos had shocked the demigods on both sides of the hill. Reyna walked over to Hedge, who was sliding off of Guido's back. They clasped hands and then turned towards the crowd watching them.

"Now, I hope the Greeks will accept our gift. The Romans will stand down and call back their forces!", she proclaimed.

Clarisse stepped forward and offered Reyna her hand. "We accept your offer of peace. The Greeks will stand down as well."

Cheers were heard on the Greek side. Teddy clapped enthusiastically. They had done it, they had really done it. He turned around and hugged the nearest demigod he could. Nico looked like he didn't much appreciate it but he patted him on the back anyways. Teddy grinned at him and then, because he could, he hugged the blond boy as well. He laughed and hugged him back. "I have no idea who you are, but its nice to meet you, too, I guess."

Before Teddy could extend the Hufflepuff-friendliness towards the other demigods a voice interrupted.

"Halt!"

Teddy turned towards the offending voice. It was a pale blond boy making his way out of the Roman campsite and towards them. He was followed by several Romans in golden armour. Teddy noticed that even more of them had arrived at the foot of the hill and were staring up at them. Some of them had been clapping as well and now looked confused at the pale dude.

"Who's that?", Teddy asked in distaste. He didn't like the guy much. Who would interrupt such an happy occasion.

"That's Octavian", Nico said quietly.

Teddy glanced over at him. Nico looked ready to stab his sword through Octavian's neck. He decided to make sure that wouldn't happen, Nico didn't need to kill another person.

"Reyna! You no longer hold power over this legion, ex-praetor!", Octavian yelled. "You are a traitor, conspiring with Graecus scum to betray your own people. The legion will take no orders from you!"

Forget it, Teddy would gladly let Nico attack him. Not to kill, of course, but to knock him around a bit. Octavian obviously was a bit of a jerk.

The Greek demigods were all glaring down at him, some were pulling out there weapons again. This was bad.

Someone within the Roman ranks shouldered their way forward. "Reyna is the praetor until voted otherwise by the Senate", he said. Parts of the legion nodded in encouragement.

"This is war", Octavian snapped at him. Then he turned to be heard by his entire legion. "I've brought you to the brink of ultimate victory and you want to give up? First Cohort: arrest Centurion Dakota and any who stand with him or Reyna. Fifth Cohort: remember your vows to Rome and the legion. You will obey me!"

Unrest broke out in the Roman ranks. Nico muttered some choice words under his breath.

"Formation!", Clarisse yelled towards the other demigods. Quickly they obeyed, fanning out behind her, their weapons at the ready.

Teddy could only watch in horror as their entire hard work dissolved in a matter of minutes. Reyna looked conflicted, for the first time it seemed like she didn't know what to do.

"See, it was only a trick to confuse us. Legion, cuneum formate!", Octavian yelled. With lightening speed the legion formed ranks.

They were going to fight. The two Camps were going to destroy each other and then who would stand to oppose Gaia if she woke? And all these children, not all of them would survive. No, Teddy could not let that happen. Nico moved backwards, towards the shadows of the pine tree. Teddy knew what was on his mind, but he couldn't let that happen either. Octavian's life, too, was worth saving even if the boy was despicable. And the Romans would surely kill Nico for attacking their leader and then launch a war against the Greeks, no that wasn't possible. Reyna looked lost. She stood apart from everyone, neither Greek nor Roman.

It was decided.

Teddy Lupin was a Hufflepuff, they were not overly brave or smart or cunning, no they were friendly and fair. And that meant he wouldn't stand back to watch a bunch of children and teenagers murder each other, not if there was a way to stop it. Over the last days he had learnt what it meant to be brave. It wasn't recklessly charging into a fight, but to know when a battle was worth fighting and then giving his all. And the lives of innocent children was worth it. He if he hadn't been sure of that he would have stayed on the cruise ship. That or gotten himself killed in Puerto Rico by charging ahead.

There was dissention in the Roman ranks who had come here to get revenge for their destroyed city and the Greeks obviously didn't want war but were prepared to defend themselves. Octavian was the reason and the solution.

Teddy Lupin may be a Hufflepuff, but his father had been a Gryffindor and they were known for being reckless to the point of stupidity. He needed a bit of that now.

He stepped forward, his wand raised and pointed at Octavian's sneering face. The boy looked at him first with confusion and them mockery.

"A stick. Is that the great power of the Greaci?", he asked.

"No", Teddy said. "It's mine. _Stupefy_!"

A red light hit Octavian square in the face and he toppled over. The legion stared at their leader sprawled in the trampled grass before looking up at Teddy. Someone pointed an arrow at his face. 'Gryffindor, Gryffindor, some help please!', Teddy thought.

"Seeing as I am neither a Greek nor a Roman demigod I would like to consider myself a neutral party. Therefore this was not an act of aggression from the Greek side, please cease pointing your weapons at them", Teddy spoke and turned his back towards the Romans. "Praetor Reyna, it seems their leader is indisposed. As their only remaining leader, would you be so kind and tell them to stand down?" Reyna looked absolutely startled. Teddy now faced the Greek demigods. They all looked a mixture of shocked and amused. "It seems there are some longstanding issues between your two factions, may I propose you stand down and have your leaders discuss them with the Roman ones? And stand down from a fight. We might be facing a bigger threat tomorrow, after all."

It was probably mostly their confusion that made them all listen to him. None of them knew who he was or what he wanted but he had just walked up and knocked out one of their leaders with magic. It got them moving pretty fast, neither wanted to get a spell in their face. Or that's what Teddy guessed to be their motivations.

Reyna commanded the Romans to retreat into the campsite and prepare for a battle the next morning. Clarisse and the centaur slowly herded the Greeks back down the hill.

"We will meet at midnight for a Roman-Greek war council. Choose your most trusted and I will bring mine", Reyna said in parting.

"Up here, under the tree", the centaur agreed.

Reyna gave Teddy one last long look before entering the camp. Two Romans dragged off the prone figure of Octavian.

"You should tie him up, the spell won't last much longer!", Teddy yelled after her. He wasn't sure she heard but Teddy hoped they would heed his advice.

"Well that was unexpected. I didn't think you had it in you, you silly wizard", Hedge said.

He came up behind Teddy and put a hand on his shoulder, steering him down the hill and towards the big house. Teddy slowly paled as he registered what had just happened. "Yeah … I can't believe I did that", he whispered.

"Better than a war. Peaceful solutions are always the best choice", the blond boy commented. He was walking after them, with Nico trailing behind him.

"Dialogue", Hedge mused. "Not my preferred way of solving problems but it works, I guess."

When they stood at the bottom of the porch, Teddy finally registered what had happened.

"We did it!", he yelped. He threw his arms around Hedge. "Let's go see your wife!" Hedge happily returned the hug, probably more because he was excited to see her and not because he wanted to hug Teddy.

"She's in the infirmary. I was headed there, so I can take you. Death Boy over here needs to go too", the blond boy said and pointed over his shoulder at Nico. Said Death Boy didn't seem happy with that.

"No I don't", he grumbled.

"Yes you do. And no more death magic, that's not healthy", the boy said and dragged a protesting Nico off.

"Well, let's go. Give Mellie a quick visit and then you rest up, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow", Hedge said.

Teddy glanced once more at the top of the hill, where the Athena Parthenos was happily sparkling in the starlight. "Rest sounds good."

Rest was unfortunately short lived. After spending a couple minutes with Mellie, Chiron – the centaur – had asked him some questions and then send him to sleep in one of the spare rooms in the Big House. Before he had dozed off he had heard the war council leave for Half-Blood Hill and the meeting with the Romans. He had hoped they would find a temporary solution quickly and that Reyna and Nico could finally rest some. It felt slightly selfish to stay back and rest up while the rest worked, but once Teddy had seen the soft pillow he had forgotten all about it.

Morning had come faster than he wanted. A frantic Gleeson Hedge had burst in, yelling about a baby. Teddy had followed him through the dark and into the infirmary where Mellie's pained screams had greeted them. She had been in the back behind a curtain separating her from the rest of the room. The blond boy, Will, had ordered Teddy around to fetch heated water – which he had conjured – and other things he needed, while Hedge had been a frantic mess and Clarisse was patting Mellie's clenched hand.

Teddy had spend the rest of the birth sitting on a bed, next to Nico who was trying to sleep through the chaos. How he managed that, Teddy would never know. Afterwards Will had stumbled from behind the curtain, a tired and pale mess, and fallen on the end of Teddy's bed.

"Never again", he had mumbled and then fallen asleep.

Hedge had come by with a crying mini-satyr and then Teddy had retired back to the Big House.

He was on his way up the porch when he noticed a few figures on the hill. Curious, the young wizard made his way towards them. Most of the camps were still asleep, they would start their preparations in a few hours. The figures turned out to be a tired-looking Reyna, the Roman who had earlier stood up against Octavian and a Greek demigod in bronze armour. They were discussing shifting the line of defence.

"But we don't even know if she will wake", the Greek boy argued.

"We can't take that chance, Stoll", Reyna said. "At least the auxiliae forces will be a problem come sundown. They won't like that they came here for nothing. What was Octavian thinking, bringing monsters along?"

"He wasn't, I'm guessing. And a lot of them just showed up", the Roman explained.

Reyna sighed and shook her head. "We need to turn the onagers, make some of them face the monsters but be sure that they don't notice", she ordered. "Then stock up on our infirmary, coordinate with the Greeks to get them fully staffed. The legion shall be ready for battle come sunrise."

"Of course, praetor", the boy said and then slowly made his way down the hill.

"We will arm our demigods and I will tell them to be ready", Stoll agreed, before he too left.

Reyna sighed again and rubbed her neck.

"Are you alright?", Teddy asked, making his presence known. Reyna startled and turned, her sword out and poised to strike.

"Gods, Teddy. Don't scare me like that", she said.

"Sorry. Have you slept at all?"

Reyna shook her head. "I'm headed to the beach for a bit, gather my thoughts", she said. "There is a lot to be done to be ready for tomorrow."

"If Gaia wakes", Teddy said.

"Yes … we have to be prepared for the worst case scenario."

Teddy nodded in understanding. He didn't like it, but she was right. There was a big chance Reyna's friends in Greece couldn't stop the Earth Goddess. She would probably try to strike the demigods first, so they had to prepare for her arrival.

"Get some sleep after, all right?", Teddy said.

"Sure, I'll try", Reyna conceded and affectionally ruffled Teddy's hair. "You go back to bed too. The last few days were hard on all of us."

Teddy was lugging around a stack of some sort of salve. He was supposed to carry it from the Big House to the infirmary set up in the Roman camp. Will had assigned him to help out there because neither Hedge nor Reyna wanted him directly on the battlefield. So he was supposed to act as a field medic. They had stitched up Reyna, who had another run-in with Orion at the beach. Only this time she was the victor and now the proud owner of a new cloak.

The sun had risen a couple minutes ago. The campers had mostly migrated to the Roman side of the hill. Only the aerial cavalry and a few guards remained in Camp Half-Blood. The monster army surrounding the demigods had been deemed the biggest threat and to make sure it didn't come to an ambush that would separate them they had rallied together. Both factions of demigods were nervous, the air thick with tension. They were waiting for something to happen.

Teddy passed by Clarisse and two legionnaires who were discussing a strategy for an attack to slowly take out the left flank of the monster army. They had begun to focus the onagers on the monsters and picking off stragglers that wandered too close into the demigod camp. It made Teddy happy to see them cooperate so well. Nico passed by him as well, telling him he was going up the hill. Teddy wished him luck and watched with a frown as Will ran after the son of Hades. Wasn't Will the head medic? Shouldn't he be in the infirmary as well? Teddy shrugged. Will probably knew what he was doing.

Teddy still hadn't reached his destination when the earth rumbled.

Everybody froze.

_YOU WILL DIE_.

The voice boomed across the entire camp. Teddy thought he recognised it from somewhere.

A horn sounded. "Heroes on your positions!", Clarisse yelled, running towards the hill.

A wind started up, pulling at Teddy's hair. He dropped his salves and pulled out his wand. The demigods were racing up towards the Hill or the edge of the camp, forming a rank so that there wasn't a single hole in their defence. Archers pulled up behind them, readying their bows. Chiron came galloping from the biggest tent and up the hill. They were joined by satyrs and nature spirits.

_YOUR UNITY IS FUTILE_.

The voice boomed again.

Teddy slowly ran towards the hill as well. He needed to see what was going on and if he was going to help bring the wounded to safety he needed to stay near the battle but also far enough away that he wouldn't be hurt. He stopped behind the archers and next to another daughter of Apollo who was also assigned as a field medic. She glanced at him with fear.

"Is that her?", she whispered. Teddy couldn't answer.

_BUT, IF IT MAKES YOU HAPPY, YOU MAY DIE TOGETHER._

The earth shook as the the pegasi and giant eagles took to the air and hovered over the demigods. Teddy tightened his grip on his wand. It had begun.

Due to their advanced planning they had managed to fortify the Roman campsite against the army of monsters surrounding them. Walls of wood, plants, stones, tents and whatever else they had found were stepping stones in the way of the monsters. Those that made it over them were met with a rain of arrows, both from the ground and from up in the air. Then the demigods met the surviving monsters on the ground one-against-one.

The Roman legion was marching in a clear formation while the Greeks were a whirlwind of chaos but not less effective. Reyna was riding Blackjack into battle, together they were a storm of black and purple fury. It was impressive to watch, Teddy had to admit. Not that he had much time to do that.

The monsters were starting to climb up the sides of the hill, attacking the unprotected eastern flank of the Greeks. Teddy was staying close to the Athena Parthenos, using her as cover. If a monster came to close he would shoot an Leg-Binding Junx at it or freeze the ground under their feet. That method was less and less effective the more control Gaia had. So he resorted to setting them on fire instead. He just needed to distract them enough for one of the demigods to rush in and finish the monster off.

The battle had only been going for a couple minutes and already Teddy was exhausted. He had never been under so much stress before.

With a scream a demigod girl went down, one of the one-eyed men standing above her, raising his club.

"_Stupefy_!", Teddy yelled, sending the cyclops stumbling back. "_Incendio_!" The upper body of the monster burst into flames. Another _Stupefy_ send him sprawling. Quickly arrows sprung from his chest and he turned to dust. The archer who had shot nodded at Teddy in thanks.

The wizard didn't have time to dwell on that. He raced towards the girl and dropped down besides her. She was bleeding heavily from a wound in her leg. It was clear she wouldn't be able to stand and make her way to the medic tent. She was older and taller than Teddy, so much too heavy for him to carry.

He looked around helplessly, pressing a piece of cloth against her leg. He needed help. He caught the eye of the daughter of Apollo and she started their way.

"It's alright, I will be fine", the bleeding girl rasped.

"We will help you", Teddy tried to assure her.

His hands were getting sticky with her blood. She was loosing too much. He rapped his brain, there had to be a spell to help. "_Episkey_!", he tried, pointing it at her leg, hoping it would mend the skin slightly. The girl twitched in pain and groaned. So that had been useless.

The other medic had reached them by now and dropped down next to them. She shooed Teddy's hands away so that she could pour some liquid over it. He reluctantly let go and got up.

A two-headed man was storming towards them. A quick incendio and he was down in flames. The medic struggled to help the injured girl up, but she was too heavy. Teddy quickly performed the feather-light-charm and then the girl lifted her without any trouble. She looked at him astounded but gratefully hurried off to the tent.

Teddy turned back to the fight, firing spells at whatever monster he saw. It was draining his energy quickly, but he needed to help.

He was making his way across the battlefield, searching for injured demigods that needed his help. Once he stumbled over a lifeless body. He didn't dare look who it was or how old they were. Instead he hurried onwards, more determined than ever.

"Ready to fire!", a voice yelled.

"Fire!", Reyna screamed back.

With a loud whistle the onagers catapulted fiery balls of gold into the air. Teddy followed them with his eyes and watched as they smashed into the auxilia forces, burning holes in their ranks.

"Refill and fire when ready!", Reyna yelled. Then she vaulted back into the fight.

A loud crash sounded and Teddy looked up in confusion to see a burning ship fall out of the sky. Huh.

It was accompanied by a dragon and a few humanoid figures. When they landed on the hill cheers sounded from the Greeks. The Romans and Teddy quickly followed suit, realising that they must be back-up of some sort.

Wait, flying warship? Were those the friend fighting Gaia and her giants in Greece? But Gaia was awake, right? So had they succeeded or not? Teddy decided there were more important things to think about.

He turned back to his search and set another monster on fire. He cast the aquamenti spell on another and then froze it with the freezing charm. The monster fell over, unable to move and was quickly finished off by one of the newcomers.

"That's a handy stick you got there", he said.

He had black hair and startling green eyes and reminded Teddy a bit of his Uncle Harry. Teddy grinned at him.

Then he turned and headed back down the hill.

Wave after wave the onagers fired, monster after monster was being slain, spell after spell was being cast. Slowly the demigods pushed back the forces.

Teddy was dead on his feet but still, he kept on waving his wand, kept on saying the words, kept one practicing magic. It was life or death now, not just for him but also the demigods he pulled to safety. He cast feather-light-charms on most of them so they could be carried easily. He fixed a couple broken bones with Episkey and swords with Reparo. He wanted to lie down and sleep for three days.

Unfortunately he had forgotten about the main enemy. She reminded them of her presence by appearing on the hill. It was the woman from his dream. Teddy shuddered.

_AWAKE_ her voice boomed. The demigods closed ranks.

The earth turned into a fluid, pulling Teddy into the ground. He struggled but only sank faster. Suddenly Gaia was being lifted into the air by a bronze dragon, a small figure on its back. Teddy gaped. The earth solidified again and he was starting to dig his way back out.

The monsters were faster and descended upon the outer ranks. Teddy watched in horror as they slaughtered the defenceless and disoriented demigods. A scream escaped his lips joining those of the fighters around him. With renewed speed he dug himself out, jumped up and fired a fire-spell at the nearest monster.

The fight started up again with full force.

Cracks sounded in the air and purple and red robed wizards started appearing all around the battlefield.

A groan sounded next to Teddy. Apparently Hedge wasn't too happy about them. Teddy was thoughtful. Maybe they could help them.

The wizards stood, looking around confused. Apparently they weren't expecting a full out battle against mythical monsters and Mother Earth. They should have prepared themselves better.

Some of the demigods stared at them in confusion but didn't engage. "Who's that?", the black haired boy from earlier called.

"Wizards. They are the least thing I wanted to see right now", Nico explained. He came over to stand by them, Will still trailing behind him. He gave Teddy a short smile.

One of the wizards seemed to have found their composure and turned towards them. He stepped forward, wand raised. The demigods surrounding them were giving them wary looks and those currently not involved in a fight turned to watch what would happen.

"You are under arrest for the practicing of dark magic, murder, forceful break-in, kidnapping and resisting arrest multiple times", he spoke, his voice hard.

It was nearly the same as last time. Nico rolled his eyes while the other boys stared at him in confusion.

"Yeah, sorry, but we are in the middle of something here", Teddy said. "If you would please wait until after these monsters aren't trying to brutally murder everyone here that would be much appreciated." The black haired boy snorted.

"Now, listen here kid –"

"No, you listen here!", Will snapped. "In case you haven't noticed but people are dying right now. You sound like some sort of law enforcement, so shut up and help us save them. Or get lost!"

The wizard looked annoyed. The others had regained their composure as well and were now holding several demigods at wandpoint. This was going hell really fast.

"Teddy!", a familiar voice said.

Teddy looked to the side, where his Uncle Harry was standing. What was he doing here? Had he gotten his letter?

Teddy couldn't answer. A scream sounded. One of the wizards had been attacked by the monsters. They didn't seem to care that a third side had just joined the fight, they attacked them too. The stunned or bound demigods, struggled to get free when the monsters started attacking again.

"Help them!", Teddy screamed at Harry. "They are going to die!"

That snapped Harry out of his daze. "Unbind the children, the monsters are the enemy!", he yelled.

The wizards quickly followed his orders, seeing sense in it. With the help of the wizards the monsters were quickly taken care of and Teddy turned back to his godfather.

"What is going on here? What happened, Teddy?", Harry asked.

"We are fighting the goddess of the earth", Teddy said, motioning to were Gaia was still suspended in the air. "That is what we have been trying to do all this time. The statue was needed to save the world."

Harry didn't look like he really believed it, but he still glanced at were the Athena Parthenos stood and nodded. "Get out of the fight. A battlefield is no place for children."

Teddy shook his head. "Sorry but I can't do that. I need to help", Teddy said, his voice fierce. He wouldn't let Harry pull him away, not when the battle was far from over.

His godfather just nodded in defeat. "Stay close then"

Nico still looked sceptical, but Will dragged him off to fight some monsters further away.

"Well this is weird", the black haired boy commented. "But welcome to the fight, I guess."

Going back to Hogwarts was weird.

After the battle with Gaia Teddy had spent most of summer at Camp Half-Blood. He had helped out in the infirmary, practiced fighting with a sword with Percy, followed Reyna around to learn more about the demigods and had some talks with the children of Hecate about their magical education. One of them was attending Ilvermorny and they had compared their academic career. But once September 1st came around Teddy was back on the train to Hogwarts. The last couple days were spent with his grandmother who was scolding him about being a reckless fool.

His friends were telling him about their summer, the nice relaxing days they had had. All Teddy could think about were the days spent travelling to New York, sleeping on the ground, fighting for his life and that of others. Nothing about that had been relaxing.

After Gaia had disappeared in an explosion aided by magic they had a ceremony to honour the dead. The grieving faces and crying siblings were something Teddy would never forget. Neither were the dead body he had stumbled over or the slaughter when they were stuck in the earth. No, his summer had been horrible. Still, Teddy wouldn't change a thing about it. Not only had he gotten new friends, he had also learned a lot about life and himself.

He hadn't spoken much on the journey to Hogwarts and his friends were eyeing him, worried. He ignored it.

They made their way towards the carriages that would bring them back to Hogwarts. Teddy froze in horror when he saw them.

Up until now he had always thought they moved by magic. But now there were dark skeletal horses pulling them.

**Well, that's it. I hope you enjoyed this story. :)**


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